iPhone 6 and Apple Watch Show the Future of Phone Calls

Last week we looked at the history of telecommunications, but with Apple's big event yesterday this week is all about the future. With its announcement of iPhone 6 and the long-anticipated Apple Watch, the world's biggest brand (well, almost!) is all set to drive the next generation of telecommunications. If you thought it got complex when smartphones were introduced then brace yourself, because wearables and wi-fi calling are about Here's what you need to know about how yesterday's announcements change things...  

The Next Generation of Caller

From our perspective, and that of any small business owner interested in how customers will contact them in future, it's important to keep up to date with the latest and greatest telephone technology. Even as smartphones develop more and more functionality, their core use remains the same: to connect the user to others. This is often achieved online, but a majority of customers still prefer a phone call so that they can speak to a real person and get the answers they need. It's the connection of these two previously distinct contact points that makes smartphones so important, and why you need to know what's coming next for the iPhone 6 and the competing devices it will spawn. Let's look at some ideas as to what this new generation of caller will need:

• Your brand will need to be aligned online and off. Where before your business might be catering to different audiences with different marketing channels, the smartphone and online user market is now mature enough to see that customers who find you in print or radio ads will also be searching for you online. Blended marketing is becoming more and more important to keep your brand top of mind.

• With click to call buttons and the wireless calling feature unveiled by Apple (calls placed over a wi-fi connection, when possible), calling your business from an online device is getting even easier. Wi-fi calling could mean that even tablets and laptops are used to place calls, as Skype has allowed for some time, driving more calls and sales.

• The Apple Watch shows a drive to move some smartphone features to the wrist for easier access. As this new device category lends itself to texts and emails, you'll want to be sure that your marketing via those channels is short, sweet, and reinforces the motivation to call you for more information.

• Marketing tools that bridge these two worlds, online and offline, are going to be more valuable than ever. Memorable vanity numbers and website addresses help to catch your audience's attention offline, then bring them back to your business through their online smartphone or wi-fi enabled device.

  Is your company ready for the iPhone 6/Apple Watch combination and the changes it will usher in? We'd love to hear your thoughts over on Facebook or Twitter. Use the hashtag #NextGenCaller so that we can track your ideas and perhaps feeature them in a future post!