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Oct 13, 2021 11:32:11 AM

Why Location is an Essential Component of Any Modern Device

Posted by Isolde Decker-Lucke

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The incorporation of location positioning technology is a no brainer across the supply chain - locating products as they move throughout warehouses, highways, and more helps to ensure the supply chain is functioning efficiently and effectively. But there are additional benefits for both companies and customers to having location built into a product itself. In this blog post, we highlight the ways that location can benefit any modern device, across a variety of use cases. 
 

Benefits to Customers

The addition of precise location positioning to a device is an immediate advantage point for a consumer. Devices like activity tracking watches, pet trackers, mobile phones, and mPERS depend on accurate location as a main benefit and feature of their connected devices. Use cases like scooter or bike share programs also use location technology to ensure riders can easily find and activate a vehicle. House cleaning robots like the Roomba, may use location and mapping to meet and exceed customer expectations. 
 
Embedding location with a consumer device that isn’t focused on having location as a primary selling point or generic appliance may seem superfluous, but these days consumer expectations are changing. Customers expect to be able to turn on their device and have the correct time zone already functioning (based on location) or even weather information if applicable (again, based on location). For example, a connected refrigerator that provides these additional pieces of information can be a more attractive purchase and can provide consumers with delight.
 

Benefits to Companies

With location added to a device or appliance, suppliers can see where the devices/appliances are going after they are sold. This information could be approximated based on the store that devices are purchased in, or the location they are ordered from. This can also be beneficial when the user is looking for appliance repair service and supportapproved repair people can be suggested by companies based on knowing the device location. But, location on the device itself can provide indisputable information on the usage of products that can then inform the use of the product, the location of advertising targeting, and even language used in instruction booklets and in-device messaging. 
 

An example: 

  • After incorporating location, a wearable company found that their devices were being used in countries they didn’t expect. This company produces and sells their device in only one country, but location data informed them that many customers were using their devices in countries they didn’t account for or sell in, which made them reevaluate their usage predictions. This was information they would not have had insight into without the incorporation of location onto their device, as it was not clear through their other data points, such as sales data.