The Guardian recently blogged about how mobile phones are changing the world of retail at a remarkable speed. According to the IMRG Capgemini m-Retail Index, m-commerce experienced a whopping 359% year-on-year increase in May and is only set to grow as the sale of tablet devices continues to drive the electronics market.  We know the tides are turning in retail and only time will tell who will flourish in this new era.

Another enormous mobile stat that emerged recently was mobile search spend.  Econsultancy revealed that spending on mobile search in the US increased 333% in Q2 2012 compared to the same period last year, according to a report from IgnitionOne.  This figure also supports our Q1 stats which found that mobile now accounts for 8% of US search spend compared to 11% in the UK.

Last Friday, Orange announced the first large-scale rollout of a SIM-based NFC solution to enable NFC-readiness for mass deployment of mobile contactless services – the first operator in Europe to do this at a national scale. The days of carrying small change could be on the way out as another step is taken towards the future of wireless communication. 

Finally, finishing on a futuristic note, a Japanese collaboration recently presented an OLED screen that allows users to use both sides of the surface at the same time. This transparent two-sided touchscreen could be the future of Smartphones. There’s a video on the website for a more in-depth look at this innovative new technology.

The future is digital and mobile is a big part of this. As mobile devices continue to evolve, it’s an exciting time!

Let us know your #FutureOfDigital stories by tweeting us at @AdobeUK.

As the digital revolution continues, it appears that so does our love and need for gadgets.  So much in fact, that we don’t only want the latest devices but we also want to use them all at the same time.  Whilst in the past we may have been content just watching the TV, increasingly people are finding themselves also sitting there with a smartphone in their hand chatting to their friends online or gazing at sites on their tablet – and, more often than not, all three at once.

This is what a recent Multi-Screen Marketer report from Econsultancy (@Econsultancy) found, with over half of the respondents answering that they were either somewhat or very likely to be using another device when watching TV. Interestingly, this rises with every screen added to the mix, with 65% of those with four devices saying that multi-device use is the norm while watching TV.

Increasingly consumers are finding themselves multi-tasking with multi-screens whether it’s in front of the TV, on a PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone or any other device – and brands need to recognise that the way consumers engage with products has changed.

The multi-screen trend has been around for years now and is gaining pace with the recent launch of Xbox SmartGlass among other devices. With more and more new products being created, the number of devices people own is picking up and is only expected to increase as more models come in to the market.

The culture is changing and as the demand for instant information, communication and gamification continues to rise, brands need to make sure they are listening to stay ahead of the curve. In the future, multiple screens will be the norm.

Get involved with the conversation by tweeting us @AdobeUK and using #FutureOfDigital. Read more about how Adobe can help with digital publishing here.

We start off in one of the last bastions of the non-digital: the bookshop. The neatly stacked shelves holding row upon row of reading material, the well-read staff, the quietly intellectual atmosphere. And now, in recognition of e-readers, a dedicated digital area and free wi-fi access. At least that’s the case in Waterstones, which is going to sell Amazon’s Kindle book reader. Waterstones is embracing digital while it seems Amazon is getting a slice of the high-street audience.

From books to newspapers next.  The Newspaper Marketing Agency has rebranded as Newsworks in recognition of the fact that the old language of press and paper doesn’t fit any more.

Looking even further into the future, it appears that 3D gesture control technology is starting to go mainstream. The FT has blogged about the launch of a new gesture-control device that allows touch-typing or even playing a piano in the air. In the future, the FT says that finger and hand movements could reduce the need for a keyboard, mouse or touchscreen.

Finally, as the Olympic Torch relay begins, the BBC is broadcasting every second of the 8,000 mile journey for us to watch on our tablets, mobiles and laptops
wherever we are. We truly are in an always-on, digital world.

Let us know your #FutureOfDigital stories by tweeting us at @AdobeUK.

The competition is open to any UK student (with valid student ID) and to win all you need to do is head over to Adobe Students UK on Facebook and try your hand at our Seeing Double game! The fastest player each day to match all eight pairs of CS6 faces will win!

The historical building was filled with digital clouds; we saw great demos by Adobe’s CTO, Kevin Lynch and heard a fascinating panel discussion with designer extraordinaire Wayne Hemingway, the incomparable illustrator Mr Bingo and breakthrough director Gareth Edwards.

We’ve pulled together a video to give you a flavour of what went on. Enjoy!

Hi there! If you are reading this you probably have found us through Facebook, Twitter or Google!

However you got here, we are glad you did and would like to welcome you to the new @AdobeUK blog – brought to you by the Adobe UK team.

We will be using this blog to keep you updated with the exciting developments here at Adobe across the entire UK business. You will see, hear and read insights from our Digital Media and Digital Marketing experts about the latest trends in the industry, as well as from guest bloggers and friends of Adobe.

So, if you are after the latest news and insight about the creative industries, Acrobat tips and tricks, or more about what we are doing in digital marketing and advertising space, then this is the place of you.

We’ll also be sharing what we see coming down the line across the digital landscape, with insights into emerging technologies and trends from industry leaders, as part of our #FutureOfDigtial campaign.

So thanks for dropping by, and why not say hello in the comments section below.

Don’t forget you can keep track of updates from the new blog on Twitter over @AdobeUK