Qualcomm And SES-imagotag Collaborate On Standards-Based Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) To Enhance Retail Experiences

Based on the recently approved ESL wireless standard from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, the new ESL technology developed under the collaboration between Qualcomm Technologies and SES-imagotag will help grow an interoperable ESL ecosystem in retail.

The technology will offer retailers the ability to automate pricing, establish more efficient in-store operations, and increase shopper satisfaction.

Today, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announced that, in collaboration with SES-imagotag, they are developing technology that enables new electronic shelf labels (ESLs) based on the recently announced ESL wireless standards from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). Until now, ESL systems have relied on proprietary protocols for wireless communications. Qualcomm Technologies and SES-imagotag led the Bluetooth SIG working group to help establish the new standard with the end-goal to create scalable, ultra-low power, highly secure, standard-based ESLs to enable retailers to improve operational efficiencies, empower employees, and enhance their customers’ experiences.

“Backed by a proven product qualification program and an unmatched installed base, Bluetooth® technology was the logical choice to build a more frictionless, interoperable ESL ecosystem,” said Art Miller, vice president, business development and global head of retail IoT, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Our team was honored to collaborate with SES-imagotag and other members of the Bluetooth SIG, and leverage their expertise in the space to create IoT technology that could forever change the retail industry and capabilities for customers.”

“As the retail landscape evolves, IoT technology collaborations with industry leaders are crucial to delivering the transformation of physical store environments and customer experiences. In Europe, we are pleased to work with SES-imagotag to accelerate this wireless advancement with Electronic Shelf Labels,” said Roberto Di Pietro, vice president, business development, Qualcomm Europe, Inc.

ESLs are small, battery-powered e-paper displays that replace paper labels to present product and pricing information at the shelf edge and use wireless technology to provide a two-way communication with a central hub to create a dynamic pricing automation network. Qualcomm Technologies and SES-imagotag’s collaboration creates a solution that offers retailers the ability to automate pricing, establish more efficient in-store operations, and increase shopper satisfaction.

“SES-imagotag is at the forefront of retail innovations and we collaborate with other innovative companies like Qualcomm Technologies so that we can achieve our combined goal of transforming the retail space through leveraged digital technologies,” said Andreas Rössl, chief technology officer, SES-imagotag. “The new ESL wireless standard that was spearheaded by Qualcomm Technologies and SES-imagotag will lead to more networked shelves and stores. Through the deployment of in-store IoT, retailers worldwide will benefit from more efficient operations, as well as enhanced customer experiences. We are excited to be working with Qualcomm Technologies to drive this fundamental digital transformation toward a better, more sustainable commerce.”

To learn more about how Qualcomm Technologies is reimagining the retail experience, including ESLs, visit https://www.qualcomm.com/products/application/industrial-commercial/retail, and to learn more about SES-imagotag’s ESL solutions visit https://www.ses-imagotag.com.

About Qualcomm
Qualcomm is enabling a world where everyone and everything can be intelligently connected. Our one technology roadmap allows us to efficiently scale the technologies that launched the mobile revolution – including advanced connectivity, high-performance, low-power compute, on-device intelligence and more – to the next generation of connected smart devices across industries. Innovations from Qualcomm and our family of Snapdragon platforms will help enable cloud-edge convergence, transform industries, accelerate the digital economy, and revolutionize how we experience the world, for the greater good.

Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of our engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of our products and services businesses, including our QCT semiconductor business. Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm patented technologies are licensed by Qualcomm Incorporated.

About SES-imagotag and the VUSION Retail IoT platform
SES-imagotag is a world leader in smart digital labels and IoT solutions for physical retail, serving over 350 large retailer groups around the world in Europe, Asia and North America.

SES-imagotag has developed the VUSION Retail IOT platform to help retailers transform their physical stores into high value digital assets, more automated, data-driven, and connected in real-time to suppliers and consumers. VUSION improves the agility, precision and accuracy of prices, whilst ensuring the omnichannel synchronization of prices, product information and marketing campaigns. The platform developed by SES-imagotag also optimizes in-store order preparation and restocking.

VUSION improves employee satisfaction by freeing up time from cumbersome low value-added tasks and allowing them to focus on customer service and merchandizing tasks. VUSION connects shelves to the Cloud, providing real-time accurate information on product availability and location, allowing for reduced inventory, out-of-stock, and waste, as well as improved on-shelf availability and merchandizing compliance. VUSION empowers consumers with better product, nutritional and traceability information at the shelf and enables a frictionless in-store shopping experience with features such as product search, pathfinding and cashier-less scan & pay features.

SES-imagotag supports the United Nations’ Global Compact initiative and has received in 2022 the Platinum Sustainability Rating from EcoVadis, the world’s reference of business sustainability ratings.

SES-imagotag is listed in compartment A of the Euronext Paris exchange and part of the SBF120 Index.

Ticker symbol: SESL – ISIN code: FR0010282822 – Reuters: SESL.PA – Bloomberg: SES

For more information, visit www.ses-imagotag.com.