PR Newswire's Business Technology Round-up, 30th November 2012

LONDON, November 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

PRS reveals results of consumer survey, Hertz launches mobile app and Preventice deploys Samsung Galaxy

Perception Research Services (PRS), a US-based consumer research organisation, has revealed the results of its latest mobile shopping survey, revealing the growing influence of technology on the overall shopping experience. 

According to the survey, consumers are starting to blur the lines between mobile and physical shopping, with the vast majority of smartphone owners now using their devices to help them shop on the high street. Consumers appear to be growing increasingly comfortable with using their smartphone as a price comparison tool, whilst also appreciating the ability to access real time vouchers and discount coupons for high street stores. 

The study also highlighted the growing popularity of QR Codes, which now carry a 94% recognition rate, with 44% of smartphone users actively using them whilst out shopping. According to PRS VP Jonathan Asher, "while the digital age has changed the retail landscape, it does not mean the end of all brick and mortar stores as we know them". 

Hertz has become the first company in the rental car industry to launch a mobile app designed to streamline the consumer's online experience, bringing its unique online experience to the world of smartphones. 

The app was launched as part of an overall relaunch of Hertz's websites, with the company now employing what it describes as "responsive design technology", to ensure that customers are presented with a familiar and easy to use interface, regardless of how they interact with the company.

Hertz is regarded as leading the way in terms of the use of technology in the car rental industry, with innovations such as the "Carfirmations" service advising customers of their chosen products by text. According to Hertz CEO Mark Frissora, "our quest is to provide the most streamlined experience for the variety of devices customers use to rent cars".

Preventice, a leading developer of mobile health solutions, has announced its new partnership with Samsung, which will see the company roll out a modified version of the Samsung Galaxy smartphone to its employees. 

The modified phone will be used in hospitals and clinics in order to detect certain non-lethal heart conditions, with the company hoping to significantly speed up diagnosis times and patient turnover. Doctors will also be able to externally monitor their patients using the device, giving them access to real time updates on key biometrics that are crucial for the long-term safety of the patient.

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