We said that Apple was going to dominate this year’s Consumer Electronics Show — despite not being there in person — and here’s another example of why that’s true.
Although the Apple Watch isn’t out yet, mobile-marketing firm TapSense is taking advantage of CES mania to unveil its plans to release an Apple Watch ad-buying service, aimed at developers. This service will let businesses create ads targeted at individual users of Apple’s upcoming wearables device.
These ads would use “push notifications” to alert customers of specific deals they may be interested in, although only inside apps that have already been opened.
In an example given by TapSense chief executive Ash Kumar, a customer using an Apple Watch transit app to keep an eye on possible travel delays could be shown a marketing offer for a ride-sharing car service, or else an ad for a nearby coffee shop. It’s an interesting concept that could be useful — depending on how unobtrusive it is and how well-selected the ads are.
However, Apple will also need to be careful to ensure that similar ad-based services don’t negatively impact on the experience of using an Apple Watch.
We’ve already noted previously how badly-implemented iBeacon ads risk turning your iPhone into a “seamless spam machine.” Seeing as Tim Cook has previously criticized ad-based business models like that employed by Google, Apple will want to tread carefully when it comes to technology like TapSense’s.
We’ll keep you updated.
Source: Reuters
