The trend that is still the hottest is the use of digital signs in fast food restaurants. We have companies like Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat and many more, who allow you to order fast food on your phone. Now, when people walk into a fast food restaurant like McDonalds, they don’t have to talk to the people behind the counter. They can use a digital sign or an in-house tablet and make their order right there. They can pick what they want, pay, and then wait for their number to be called to collect their food. Here are a few other digital signage technology and trends.
Competitive Content Creation
The Japanese are really winning this race with their 3D signs that were quickly adopted by several large buildings in China. They created videos that look as if they are three dimensional objects in real life. The walls are covered with smaller digital signs that look like a whole screen from a distance. From even further away, they are able to create the illusion that the objects on screen are coming out of the screen (without the need for 3D glasses or lasers).
Most people who own digital signs are using a digital signage content creator to build their content, but even without cutting edge 3D designs, they are building some pretty good and pretty original content. As with all artistic mediums, people are going to compete to create the best stuff.
Digital Signs Are Becoming More Common in Industrial Settings
There are a few reasons why this is the case. The fact that digital signs are cheaper these days, and the fact they are easier to operate these days, is probably a big factor. There is also the fact that cases have been designed so that digital signs are explosion proof and can withstand higher temperatures and unsafe environments. It is also due to the fact that digital signs can convey a lot more information than traditional communication and informative devices. Plus, digital signs take up a fraction of the energy they used to take up. This means they can be used during power outages and emergency events because they don’t demand a lot from the backup generators.
On Screen Reviews Indoors
When you go onto a website like Amazon, you see a product and you see the seller reviews and the product reviews. Well, it turns out that some companies are using this in the offline world too. They claim it genuinely helps people make buying decisions. It is helpful because people have a habit of going online to see reviews of an item, and then discovering that it is far cheaper online and buying it online. However, when people see digital signs with starred reviews already in place, they feel less compelled to buy online and ergo the offline store keeps its customers.
Video Camera Mirrors
Stores will set up digital signs and then cameras. As people walk past or approach the digital sign, they will see themselves, possibly from a different angle than a mirror would show. There was a buzz about using digital signs and cameras in changing rooms so that people could see their outfit from a variety of different angles. However, the trend quickly died when stores realized people don’t want cameras on them when they are changing clothes.
This trend keeps popping up and then quickly disappearing. There is something all-enticing about the idea that people stand in front of a digital sign and see themselves. Previously, the trend popped up because people were already checking themselves out on phones, so retail stores added signs. Then popped up the trend were makeup counters were using digital signs and cameras to show people different skin tones to pick different makeup, but again, that trend died. These days, digital signs are used as mirrors where they record people as they pass by, simply because people seem to look at themselves when they are on a screen.
It is true that if you put mirrors in windows, then people will notice themselves in the mirrors and look at themselves. However, when you point a camera at people and show themselves from different angles, for some reason people are fascinated. Stores are using variations on this phenomenon to draw attention to their stores or parts of their stores where they want people to look and congregate.