Epson rilascia un SDK per connettere Android alle stampanti POS
I dispositivi mobili sono sempre più utilizzati in ambito business, tanto che a volte li vediamo utilizzati anche in quel vecchio negozio che non ti aspetteresti, tanto che le previsioni dicono che entro il 2015 saranno venduti più di 2.7 milioni di tablet all'anno per essere usati come dispositivi POS mobili e strumenti di informazione al cliente: logico quindi che un leader nel settore della stampa come Epson cerchi di anticipare i tempi in tal senso.
L'SDK che l'azienda ha appena rilasciato per Android (e iOS) ha infatti lo scopo di accorciare i tempi di sviluppo di applicazioni che abilitino il collegamento via wireless dei dispositivi mobili, ai POS per la stampa (ovviamente le "stampa ricevute" Epson sono in prima fila). In poche parole: lo scontrino non si farà più solo alla cassa, ma verrà mandato in stampa direttamente dal tablet del commesso che vi sta illustrando il prodotto appena venduto (per esempio).
A seguire il comunicato stampa ufficiale (in inglese).
Epson Announces SDKs for iOS and Android Devices
Speeds Retailer Support for Wireless POS Printing
NEW YORK, Jan 16, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Today at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Annual Convention and Expo, Epson America, Inc., a leading supplier of value-added point of sale (POS) solutions, announced the immediate availability of software development kits (SDKs) for mobile printing applications. The Epson SDKs are designed to shorten the development time required to implement mobile POS applications, enabling support for wireless POS printing from handheld peripherals like Apple's iPad(R), iPod touch(R), iPhone(R) and devices using Google's Android(TM) mobile technology platform. Available immediately for Epson's most popular thermal and multifunction receipt printers, Epson's new SDKs provide developers with fast, convenient, and cost-effective tools to connect iOS and Android devices to networked POS printers, enabling wireless printing throughout the store from a wide range of input devices.
"Today's retailers are deploying mobile technologies in record numbers, at lightening speed," commented Mike Helm, Director of Sales for Epson America's Business Systems Division.
"Epson's mobile SDKs simplify the development process, saving retailers time and money, while allowing them to provide customer access to receipts and information throughout the store printed from a variety of mobile devices."
As the number of tablets in retail skyrockets, retailers require more flexible, wireless printing options for customers to access receipts and printed information in various locations throughout store. NRF's digital division, Shop.org, recently released its State of Retailing Online Report which showed that 30% of retailer respondents said a main objective for their mobile platform will be to provide store associates with tablets to improve selling. Another report from IHL Consulting entitled Mobility -- A Gutenberg Moment for Retail, A Threat to Point of Sale predicts that by 2015, more than 2.7 million tablets a year will be sold to retail establishments for use as mobile POS devices and consumer information tools.