RAIN Alliance has launched an initiative committed to driving the standardisation of RAIN Reader integration into smartphones, which will be led by Dr. Paul Muller. Muller brings 20+ years of industry experience across wireless connectivity, cellular, RAIN and NFC technologies to the role. As part of this initiative the RAIN Alliance has created two new workgroups – the Smartphone Use Cases Workgroup and the Smartphone Integration Workgroup – and is inviting companies to participate and be directly involved in shaping the future of RAIN in consumer devices.
“The integration of RAIN technology into mobile handsets will be a game changer,” said Aileen Ryan, President and CEO of the RAIN Alliance. “Everyone with a RAIN-enabled smartphone will be able to scan tags and interact with connected items, unlocking enhanced in-store customer experiences enabling up-selling, cross-selling and product authentication. RAIN in Smartphones will even drive sustainability, as under the Digital Product Passport regulation, consumers in the European Union will be able to access detailed information on a product’s origin, its composition, the manufacturing process and recyclability without need for a second data carrier or the associated costs and complexities.”
This initiative follows news from Qualcomm last year that it is working to integrate RAIN functionality into its mobile device chipsets, and marks a significant step towards the technology being used by enterprises and consumers to engage with everyday items, in the supply chain, in stores and in our daily lives.
“It is critical that the integration of RAIN readers in smartphones is underpinned by standards to ensure interoperability and deliver a consistent user experience,” added Ryan. “This is why we have launched our dedicated RAIN in Smartphones initiative, and I am delighted to have Paul onboard to lead these activities and work with members, handset manufacturers and the wider smartphone ecosystem to drive RAIN Reader adoption, enable emerging use cases for consumers and unlock new revenue streams throughout the value chain.”
The initiative will oversee the two Workgroups map out future use cases and associated business models, alongside working towards specifications, recommendations and guidelines for integration into smartphones. Paul has joined the RAIN Alliance to lead these activities, having spent his career working for market handset chipset manufacturers such as Marvell and Mediatek and EM Microelectronic.
“Consumer engagement is the next frontier in retail, luxury and healthcare, and the many other industries where RAIN technology already provides supply chain integrity and visibility,” commented Paul Muller, Leader of RAIN Reader Smartphone Integration at the RAIN Alliance. “As the leader of the RAIN in Smartphones initiative, I intend to leverage the expertise of the RAIN Alliance’s highly competent contributing members and work with handset makers and the wider mobile device ecosystem to make standards-based RAIN Reader integration into smartphones a reality, benefiting businesses and consumers and enabling a more connected, sustainable future.”
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