In Depth

In Depth

Mobile apps and software

• Online marketplace momentum ushers in new era for retailers

  Superdrug is the latest in a growing list of retailers to launch its own online marketplace, joining B&Q, Boots and others in driving a new era for UK retail  Continue Reading

• Morrisons joins the fast-growing retail media movement

  More retailers are becoming publishers as they realise the potential of their online assets, helping to fuel a new fast-growth segment of digital marketing – and Morrisons is no exception  Continue Reading

• How the pandemic accelerated tech adoption in hospitality

  The pandemic led to technology adoption across several sectors, with hospitality being no exception  Continue Reading

• Peeking into the metaverse: Taking a look at VR headsets and AR smart glasses

  Extended – augmented and virtual – reality is capturing the imagination of media and investors alike. Use cases abound, and market opportunities proliferate as more and more companies discover applications that might help their operations or serve ...  Continue Reading

• IoT hits top gear with Extreme E in battling climate change

  All-electric car racing series teams with Vodafone Business to combat growing threat from global warning, through long-life IoT solar-powered sensors connected to a mesh network to warn of environment dangers  Continue Reading

• Mapping out the rise in checkout-free shopping

  There has been a boom in the number of checkout-free stores globally, but will that growth continue and which retailers are interested?  Continue Reading

• Retailers choose from menu of mobile apps to help reduce food waste

  Supermarkets, convenience stores and coffee shops are among the retailers connecting with mobile apps and tech firms to drive down the wastage of food  Continue Reading

• Pandemic turns e-commerce doubters into believers

  Notable UK retail e-commerce avoiders Primark, B&M and Poundland are now online players. But what are their respective digital approaches?  Continue Reading

• Olympique de Marseille scores with Orange 5G

  Robust communications in football stadiums is key to delivering optimal fan experiences and leading French team Olympique de Marseille has achieved connectivity in consumer and enterprise 5G  Continue Reading

• A new design for the new world of work

  Widespread forecasts at the height of the pandemic about the death of the office have largely failed to come to pass, but its role is definitely changing as part of a wider, but as yet still mainly experimental, shift to hybrid working  Continue Reading

• CPaaS – a technology for the future

  There is a received wisdom that as businesses flock towards the cloud, they are looking for a single platform on which to manage all their communication needs, leading to boom times ahead for communications platform as a service  Continue Reading

• The importance of mid-band 5G for European economic growth

  The roll-out of 5G networks promises to revolutionise the role of high bandwidth wireless connectivity, but underestimating the role of mid-band spectrum could needlessly restrict its benefits  Continue Reading

• Using technology to reinvent stores

  Technology is becoming an important part of the shopping experience at home, in stores and in-between, so how are retailers using technology to advance the store experience?  Continue Reading

• Has Wi-Fi 6 stalled before it even got started?

  The need for wireless internet connectivity is more crucial than ever. Wi-Fi 6 and 6E were supposed to meet that need, but some say that uptake has stalled. We see what is happening in wireless  Continue Reading

• Boots accelerates its digital accessibility journey

  Boots is working with website accessibility software provider Recite Me to make its website more user-friendly and improve the customer experience  Continue Reading

• Ship from store: A pandemic retail trend that’s here to stay?

  Shipping online orders from bricks and mortar stores looks set to be a pandemic trend that will stick around to form part of retail’s new normal  Continue Reading

• It takes a village: Protecting kids online is everyone’s responsibility

  The rapid uptake of smartphones among children has contributed to the increasing number of cases of cyber bullying and online grooming. Is this an educational issue or a cultural problem, and can modern enterprise help?  Continue Reading

• Avoiding the two-tier workforce in the third workplace

  The new world of hybrid working is sometimes referred to as the third workplace. Yet just as firms are having to deal with the ‘great resignation’, they are in danger of unwittingly creating a two-tier workforce  Continue Reading

• Arkwright’s till, Tesco GetGo and retail tech’s non-linear innovation journey

  The checkout-free Tesco GetGo store shows that retail technology has come a long way since the faulty till draws in Open All Hours, but some of today’s innovation goes back to the future  Continue Reading

• How in-store technology is supporting retail’s sustainability agenda

  Boots, Costa Coffee and the major grocers’ in-store technology focus is switching towards systems supporting sustainability goals  Continue Reading

• Retail tech community reacts to BNPL regulatory proposals

  Regulation is coming to the buy now, pay later market, but what does it mean for a retail tech community increasingly embracing these solutions?  Continue Reading

• Back on the office network: What are the risks for mobile users?

  Many people are returning to offices and bringing their mobile devices with them. What are the cyber security implications of this?  Continue Reading

• Calling on communications to address humanitarian crises

  Télécoms Sans Frontières responds to the growing number of natural disasters with advanced communications and provides protection and assistance, as well as bridging the digital divide  Continue Reading

• How Estonia’s country-as-a-service scheme has attracted tens of thousands of foreign entrepreneurs

  Estonia has created a country-as-a-service offering which is attracting entrepreneurs and businesses from across the world  Continue Reading

• First priorities for the third workplace

  Almost 18 months since Covid-19 caused an almost overnight pivot to home working for many firms, hybrid working seems here to stay for knowledge workers. But the role of the 'third workspace' is not yet entirely clear  Continue Reading

• How mobile operators can cope with staycation boom and sport lockdowns lifting

  The periods of lockdown implemented in response to the Covid-19 pandemic led to new mobile network traffic patterns. How can operators adapt to shifting consumer behaviours and continue delivering high-quality experiences?  Continue Reading

• New thinking and systems required to tackle online fraud in retail

  Online fraud is a growing problem for retail, but are merchants doing enough to update systems and how should they change their actions to address it?  Continue Reading

• Windows 11: A first look at the first preview

  Microsoft recently unveiled its plans for the next version of the Windows operating system. We give it a test drive  Continue Reading

• Tips to minimise vulnerabilities in web and mobile apps

  Agile software development can sometimes be at odds with secure by design principles. We look at how organisations are balancing security with coding  Continue Reading

• Tech and new experiences tackling trouble at t’mall

  UK shopping centres are under pressure, but new concepts, tech-infused spaces, and fresh approaches to consumer engagement are revitalising the sector  Continue Reading

• Video commerce and livestreaming make waves in retail

  The growth in e-commerce during the pandemic is well documented, but the fragmented retail environment has also helped video commerce and livestreaming rise to prominence  Continue Reading

• Revolutionising communication and collaboration for the hybrid world

  As hybrid working looks set to become the norm in the post-Covid world, the lessons learned during lockdown will need to be applied. However, firms will have to overcome the limitations of current communication and collaboration tools  Continue Reading

• Getting ready for the new normal of hybrid working

  Many companies are preparing to return to offices for the first time since the UK’s first lockdown began, but the office environment will look very different to a year ago. With some workers looking forward to returning to the office and others ...  Continue Reading

• Amazon Go – is now the right time?

  In the beginning of 2021, Amazon launched a physical store in London, but is it the right time to be investing in offline?  Continue Reading

• Interview: Uber driver Yaseen Aslam on his Supreme Court battle and what’s next for gig workers

  Private hire driver and union organiser Yaseen Aslam speaks to Computer Weekly about his legal battle with Uber and what the UK Supreme Court ruling means to workers in the gig economy  Continue Reading

• Five not the only magic number for Three in 2021

  With a new CEO beginning to put into practice its plan, mainly a pivot towards business, mobile operator Three UK has been eyeing up new opportunities in 2021. We see what is on the agenda  Continue Reading

• Innovation at the shelf edge

  It’s been a challenging year for stores due to Covid-19, but some retailers have found time to innovate at the shelf edge with noteworthy technology deployments  Continue Reading

• Digital donations: retailers using technology to offer something back

  Some charities require corporate support like never before, and retailers are finding new ways to use technology to facilitate donations  Continue Reading

• How retailers are using tech to cope with changing footfall

  Customer behaviour was shifting long before the coronavirus pandemic accelerated the online shopping boom, so what technology are retailers using to keep stores relevant?  Continue Reading

• How retailers are using digital to engage with Covid Christmas shoppers

  Christmas is likely to be different this year because of the pandemic, and there is likely to be an altered shopping experience. So how are retailers using digital to cope with this shift in festive shopping?  Continue Reading

• Lush’s 25-year journey to digital excellence

  Retailers are increasingly focused on using technology to better serve customers, but for high street cosmetic brand Lush, tech has always been part of the picture  Continue Reading

• Covid-19: How retailers are using technology to respond to changing shopping habits

  As the coronavirus outbreak accelerates the shift in consumer behaviour, how are retailers using technology to keep customers engaged?  Continue Reading

• Robots delivering the goods for retailers

  Amazon is investing in autonomous robot delivery in the UK, adding to pioneering work undertaken by Co-op and Starship Technologies  Continue Reading

• Morrisons and Pret join UK retail’s growing subscription economy

  Morrisons and Pret A Manger join growing UK retail movement towards subscription models – a space frequented by technology-led players such as Gousto  Continue Reading

• The UK switches on to mobile contact tracing

  Long overdue and attracting descriptions ranging from ‘essential’ to ‘cherry on the cake’, the UK’s contact-tracing app is now widely available – but where will further developments lead?  Continue Reading

• Hangar 51 supports startups taking off in travel tech

  International Airlines Group’s accelerator programme aims to give travel technology companies a flying start in the sector  Continue Reading

• 2B or not 2C? That is the question for 5G

  A flurry of 5G network launches in all major markets in Asia, North America and Europe, focused on consumer applications and services. This looks set to change in 2020 as the operators get down to business  Continue Reading

• Coronavirus: Retailers reach for tech to keep staff connected in the crisis

  From fast-tracking home-working strategy, to conducting training and board meetings virtually, read about how retailers are keeping staff connected during the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis  Continue Reading

• Contact tracing: The privacy vs protection debate

  The Covid-19 pandemic has necessitated extreme measures not seen in peacetime for over 100 years. Contact-tracing apps are being developed as a tool for managing the pandemic, but are they a step too far?  Continue Reading

• Unified communications: The key to prospering in the new working reality of Covid-19

  Covid-19 lockdowns are causing a collective rethink in the way companies operate, with unified communications transformed from a nice-to-have to a business essential as remote working becomes the new normal  Continue Reading

• Australian firms soldier on amid Covid-19 outbreak

  From the largest financial institutions to small companies, Aussie firms have been dialling up their use of technology tools to keep their businesses humming during the coronavirus pandemic  Continue Reading

• Coronavirus: Contactless limit rises as retailers make point-of-sale changes

  The spending limit for contactless card payments is increasing to £45 today (1 April), which is just one of several ways that retail point-of-sale is evolving in response to the coronavirus  Continue Reading

• Coronavirus: Grocers scrambling to update online and delivery propositions

  The supermarkets have effectively become the fourth emergency service as the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis takes hold, aided by significant online and delivery changes  Continue Reading

• Coronavirus: How to implement safe and secure remote working

  Find out what CIOs and CISOs need to know to enable their end-users to work remotely and stay secure during the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis, and learn how users can help themselves  Continue Reading

• Shirts and suits retailers using tech to stay smart

  Enhanced personalisation, increased visualisation and much more customisation with a digital twist comprise the to-do lists of several UK formalwear retailers  Continue Reading

• The big retail tech themes from Retail’s Big Show

  The National Retail Federation’s Big Show signals the kick-off of the retail events calendar. We look over the themes promised for retail tech over the next year  Continue Reading

• How Halfords is using tech to rev up its customer service

  Live chat, virtual contact centres and a new unifying web platform are set to enhance Halfords’ customer service proposition in the year ahead  Continue Reading

• Future fashion: does that dress come in digital?

  A visit to a technology-fuelled fashion pop-up paints a picture of a world where retailers and brands sell virtual clothes for usage solely in consumers’ digital lives  Continue Reading

• What’s new in UK retail’s online-to-offline movement?

  US menswear retailer Untuckit used to be an online pureplay, but by the end of 2019 it will have 80-plus stores, including its two new UK shops, as the online-to-offline trend continues  Continue Reading

• How retailers are using social to reach Gen Z and beyond

  The younger generation of shoppers are all using social media, so how are retailers using influencers to reach these potential customers and their spending power?  Continue Reading

• Disabled consumers left logged out of retail’s digital revolution

  Retailers are being urged to make their digital assets more accessible to disabled consumers, not just for moral and social reasons, but because of the commercial opportunity  Continue Reading

• The emergence of the shopping centre-as-a-service model

  Shopping centres have been morphing into wider entertainment, leisure and hospitality venues for some time, but their role is set to evolve yet further  Continue Reading

• Samsung KX gives consumers and retailers a glimpse of the future

  Samsung puts its Galaxy range, the internet of things and community events at the heart of its new central London consumer space – but don’t call it a store...  Continue Reading

• From cleaners to architects – lessons learnt by a serial entrepreneur

  After the emotional sale of her first company, Alex Depledge, co-founder of and CEO of Resi, explains the lessons she has learnt and what she will and will not do again  Continue Reading

• Building a 5G city: Bristol’s valuable lessons for the UK’s digital future

  West of England Combined Authority is taking part in DCMS’s 5G Testbeds and Trials programme, exploring applications for tourism and entertainment. We find out how it is applying its learnings to life in Bristol and Bath  Continue Reading

• What 5G applications will transform your business?

  The UK’s mobile network operators have started work on their 5G roll-outs, but what applications are most likely to gain enterprise traction for the new standard?  Continue Reading

• APAC buyer’s guide to human capital management software

  More Asia-Pacific organisations are turning to HCM software to recruit, engage and retain a new breed of employees who increasingly expect personalised services from HR teams  Continue Reading

• Securing your mobile estate – best practice for CIOs

  The prevalence of mobile devices in every part of daily life is shaping how enterprises make choices about software and network infrastructure, but how do businesses go about securing these vast new endpoint estates?  Continue Reading

• How to get the basics of mobile device management right the first time

  When adopting mobile device management, there are often fears around implementation and whether or not the strategy is even required  Continue Reading

• Convenience, digitisation and the impact on the physical store

  Digital technologies and the need for convenience have changed the way consumers shop, but what will this mean for the purpose and size of physical stores?  Continue Reading

• How retail store technology is filling the ‘imagination gap’

  Retailers are using in-store technology to reduce the time between shoppers’ consideration phase and purchase, but how is it engaging them and triggering conversions?  Continue Reading

• Cutting employees some Slack: The rise of messaging apps in retail

  Slack’s 2019 stock market debut raises the profile of enterprise collaboration software, but what options do retailers have in this space and how are they using the technology?  Continue Reading

• Rehumanising healthcare through technology

  Tech companies internationally are offering innovative ways to access niche healthcare services that promise to ease patients’ fears about the use of technology over humans  Continue Reading

• The nightmare driving test: How to make sure self-driving cars are safe

  Simulating realistic environments using deep learning to enable self-driving cars to learn the rules of the road will prove more useful than any amount of real-world practice. We find out why, and meet the people doing something about it  Continue Reading

• Interview: Andy Berks, digital product director, Asos

  Asos’s digital product director Andy Berks talks about how the online retailer has used AI and machine learning technologies – and why the needs of the customer have to come first  Continue Reading

• Ready, headset, go: Retailers racing ahead with VR for staff training

  Has virtual reality found its prime retail user case as a staff training tool? Recent moves from Costa Coffee and Walmart suggest it has  Continue Reading

• Fashion retail’s sustainability challenge and how technology can help

  UK fashion retailers were grilled in Parliament last month on sustainability, so how might technology like blockchain or online recommendation tools help as they look to improve their green credentials?  Continue Reading

• Nike and Zara drive fashion retail’s self-service future

  New store openings from Nike and Zara show it is not just in grocery stores where self-service technology is impacting retail.  Continue Reading

• CIO interview: Tamara Lohan, founder and CTO of Mr & Mrs Smith

  Head of technology and co-founder of luxury travel firm Mr & Mrs Smith explains how the firm is revamping its technology to provide customers with a seamless experience  Continue Reading

• Mobile-first strategy rings true for jeweller

  Mobile has played a key role in how London jeweller Taylor & Hart has changed the rules for buying a ring  Continue Reading

• Doorstep challenge: How retailers are innovating on delivery and fulfilment

  Every retailer selling online in 2018 needs great shipping options for customers who have got used to an expanding list of choices. How are some retailers developing the proposition, and where does technology fit into the equation?  Continue Reading

• Employers turn to wearable technology to help staff manage work-life balance

  Companies are realising that there are sound business reasons for ensuring their employees get enough sleep and exercise, so they are turning to wearable technology to help their staff stay healthy, despite the pressures of work  Continue Reading

• The use cases, challenges and benefits behind retail AI

  Retailers have been collecting customer data for years, and with AI technology now available to help them use it effectively, they’re jumping at the chance – but what challenges lie ahead?  Continue Reading

• Amazon, Toys R Us and a tale of two technology approaches

  Many factors contributed to the collapse of Toys R Us, but did a partnership with Amazon at the turn of the millennium play a part in its eventual demise?  Continue Reading

• How to find the right mobility strategy for your SME

  Small businesses still need a strategy to make the most of mobility, so what should business owners look out for?  Continue Reading

• Retail legacy systems: how can we overcome them?

  With technology adoption changing the retail landscape, many retailers are left with legacy systems. We look at how they are dealing with them in today’s digitally led environment  Continue Reading

• How to make the leap from traditional bank to digital bank

  To compete effectively in an increasingly digital financial landscape, conventional banks need to build greater efficiency, value and trust through technology  Continue Reading

• Have traditional banks weathered the fintech challenge?

  How will the financial technology-based challenger banks evolve as the traditional retail banking industry ups its digital game?  Continue Reading

• The future of 5G mobile networks: support and development

  In the second part of our exploration of the 5G market, we find out how UK plc is innovating around 5G mobile networks, and ask what lies in store at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona  Continue Reading

• Getting a handle on mobile security in your enterprise

  Everyone now has a mobile device at work, so how can enterprises ensure they are secure?  Continue Reading

• The great 5G bake-off: where are we and where are we going?

  With Mobile World Congress 2018 a week away, early 5G network standards formalised and tests up and running at the Winter Olympics, we assess the state of 5G, and what's needed to kick-start commercial roll-outs  Continue Reading

• Smart security: Go beyond the basics with biometrics

  With smartphone makers offering new features such as biometrics, there are lots of options available to businesses when putting mobile security into practice  Continue Reading

• Organised thinking builds app success

  We look at how large enterprises can create an efficient organisational structure for mobile app development  Continue Reading

• Developers at the mobile edge

  We look at the challenges and opportunities to be found in creating mobile apps for an expanding array of devices  Continue Reading

• UK sale of surveillance equipment to Macedonia raises questions over export licence policy

  The UK approved an export licence for the sale of surveillance equipment to Macedonia – while the country was engaged in an illegal surveillance programme against its citizens. A senior minister was consulted on the decision  Continue Reading

• CIO interview: How River Island is using cloud to fend off its fast fashion competitors

  River Island's CIO, Doug Gardner, discusses how embracing cloud, online and mobile devices is driving sales in its high street stores  Continue Reading

• Where the device hits the network – a mobile device management update

  As business becomes increasingly mobile, we look at the latest trends in mobile device management to give businesses the edge  Continue Reading

• How retailers are using technology to remain relevant

  From the constant innovation at Asos, Amazon and Missguided to the new supply chain prowess flaunted by Diesel and Gap, fashion retailers are investing in tech to stay relevant to their customers  Continue Reading

• Formula 1: Mercedes team turns to big data in quest for victory in Grand Prix

  Data analytics could help Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport team gain an edge on rival Ferrari during the 2017 and 2018 Grand Prix season. Its head of IT, Matt Harris, reveals the team’s plans  Continue Reading

• The changing shape of mobile apps

  We find out how organisations can gain the agility they need to keep pace with mobile app innovation  Continue Reading