Tag Archives: Wearable Tech

by | March 24, 2015 · 10:31 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Hotels Are Getting Ready for Apple Watch”

The Accorhotel Apple Watch app will work in connection with a smartphone to manage reservations, access hotel information and property maps,apple watch and notify guests when a room is ready for online check-in. IHG’s Apple Watch app is a port of its popular smartphone language translator. It will convert the words a user speaks into the watch into 13 different languages and even offer phonetic pronunciation help as well as a range of common phrases.

At an event in San Francisco earlier this week, Apple released more details on its new watch and showed off a few apps. Along with displaying the weather, making calls (as long as your phone is nearby), and tracking your fitness, the watch will also support Apple Pay, a mobile payment system that processes credit card transactions without the need to swipe an actual card. Ahead of the event, Marriott announced it would be the first hotel company to use Apple Pay, and would roll it out this summer at select Ritz-Carlton, Courtyard, Residence Inn, and Edition properties in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, San Francisco, Miami, and Chicago.

Apple Pay uses the near field communication (NFC) chip in an iPhone 6 or Apple Watch to communicate with specially equipped card readers, providing more security than old-school magnetic card swipers. While this could be a huge money maker for Apple, with analysts predicting that mobile payment systems will process $700 billion in transactions by 2017, it also offers hotels a new tool to measure guests’ habits and preferences.

For more: http://bit.ly/1OwUcqT

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Hotels Are Getting Ready for Apple Watch”

Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Management And Ownership, Technology

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | March 12, 2015 · 10:01 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Hoteliers Readying for Wearable Tech”

The Apple Watch will be available in early 2015. In the meantime, Starwood Hotels has developed a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone appwearable tech that allows customers to unlock their rooms with a simple swipe. The company upgraded 30,000 room locks across nearly 150 hotels, and in November the app went live at Starwood’s Aloft, Element and W brands.

Technology giant Apple made a splash with a 9 March keynote address providing more detail about the much-anticipated release of its new venture in wearable tech, which will be available for purchase on 24 April.

Several hotel companies are getting in front of that launch date with news of their own tailor-made apps for the device.

Accor announced an iOS app for Apple Watch shortly after Apple’s webcast presentation. Available in 10 languages, the app will promotes top hotels and destinations and allows users to manage bookings on Accorhotels.

Marriott International, meanwhile, announced it would be the first global hotel company to accept Apple Pay, which allows guests to use their iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus or Apple Watch to pay at check-in as opposed to via cash or credit card. The phased introduction this summer in the United States will include brands in popular locations, such as The Ritz-Carlton, Edition, Renaissance Hotels and Marriott Hotels.

For more: http://bit.ly/1ED7a3g

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Hoteliers Readying for Wearable Tech”

Filed under Guest Issues, Hotel Industry, Technology

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | December 11, 2014 · 10:04 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Emerging Digital Trends in the Hotel Sector”

One of the most exciting things was Turning OFF and ON the lights and controlling Air-conditioning with the of apps.Tech conference IT departments in major hotels are also looking at TV based motion and voice controls, and presence detectors to allegedly making it easy for the guests, while at the same time – controlling energy.

Hotels are embracing digital in a big way, as they seek to distinguish themselves from the competition by offering compelling reasons to stay with them, over the competition.

One of the emerging trends is taking advantage of the technology in your pocket.  At select Starwood hotel brands around the world, guests will no longer have to fumble for their room key card at the bottom of their bag now that the chain has rolled out keyless technology that opens doors with the swipe of a smartphone. Starwood’s SPG Keyless program is being called a first for the hotel industry and will roll out to 10 hotels around the world in markets like Beijing, Doha, Hong Kong, New York, and Singapore.

For more: http://bit.ly/1zBH5h9

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Emerging Digital Trends in the Hotel Sector”

Filed under Conferences, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Technology

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,