Use Your Cell Phone To Avoid Lines

We all knew it was coming… Using your cell phone to avoid long lines in coffee shops, stores, etc. But what else can we use cell phones for?

There is a big push lately for mobile software. I have done a couple applications for clients, and I hear a lot of buzzing around the Internet for more. For now, though, most of these mobile applications are pretty niche based. What I mean is, they are focused on a core group of users such as CRM clients, inventory specialists, and law enforcement. But when are we going to wake up to see that average consumers can use the same technologies?

Apple supposedly put a patent in for its Iphone users that would allow them to bypass lines in the store. Here is an abstract of the patent:

A processing system is described that includes a wireless communication interface that wirelessly communicates with one or more wireless client devices in the vicinity of an establishment. The wireless communication interface receives a remote order corresponding to an item selected by at least one of the wireless client devices. A local server computer located in proximity to the establishment generates instructions for processing the remote order received from the wireless communication interface. The local server computer then passes the processing instructions to an order processing queue in preparation for processing of the remote order.

This would do wonders for growing the company’s user base. What else can we think of that would enable the consumer in their everyday lives?

What kind of markets does this open up (as long as the patent is granted)? There are going to be changes in the point of sale software. There might even be a more high powered machine that runs transactions. A lot of POS systems are going to have to be standardized. This means the new employee learning curve will be lessened.

Now look at the mobile application. What other services can you think of that will be beneficial to a consumer? Waiting for rides in DisneyWorld? Booking airline reservations? Getting a taxi? Booking a reservation? Or just notifying a restaurant that you will be on your way there…

If someone like Apple has plans to build out the infrastructure (hardware), how can we follow suit?

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