Figure 4-6: 4 types of market in which a product can operate
A new product in a new market
Embedded connectivity and intelligence will fuel the appearance of new
classes of product and new markets. In consumer terms, the challenge is often
to convince users of your vision. You have solved a problem they didn’t
realize they had, or had just accepted as ’the way things were’. The Glowcaps
pill bottle top, mentioned in chapter 2 , reminds users to take their medication
and helps the patient’s doctor track how frequently it is taken.
A new type of product in an existing market
Here, the challenge is to convince users that your product is the best solution
to the problem. Perhaps it has better features or better performance. In IoT,
these products may be familiar physical devices newly enhanced with sensing
or connectivity (e.g. the Withings bathroom scales). Users need to understand
the value that is added by the enhancements, such as easier weight tracking.
They need to decide whether it’s something they want, especially if it costs
extra.
It might also be a technology that offers a step change in experience design.
For example, airport terminals can be large and confusing. You would
normally rely on signage to find your way around, but this isn’t always clear,
consistent or guaranteed to tell you what you need as and when you need it.
You don’t want to miss your flight, but nor do you want to end up sitting
around at the gate for too long because you were cautious and got there too
early. Apple’s iBeacons technology (described in chapter 2) offers precise
indoor location. Several airlines have been trialing the use of iBeacons to
provide passengers with in-context information and directions (see figure 4.7).