Consumers place great importance on color in purchasing decisions, causing them to hesitate in purchasing products

ams announced that it is developing an end-to-end mobile solution that embeds color management technology capable of accurate color matching directly into smartphones, through collaboration with X-Rite (X-Rite Incorporated), a global leader in color science and technology, and its subsidiary Pantone (Pantone LLC).

This jointly developed solution consists of ams's spectrum sensors and optical components packaged in small modules. With this solution, mobile phone manufacturers and retailers can enable consumers to search, compare, and purchase products such as clothing, interior decor, and cosmetics based on color using mobile devices.

According to research by X-Rite, consumers hesitate to purchase online products where color is a critical factor in their purchasing decisions. Typically, the main reasons cited are unsatisfactory past experiences with online purchases or limitations in obtaining accurate color information from sellers online. Consumers expect that they can easily match a color they like to their desired item by taking a picture of it with their smartphone, but this is a misconception.

The incredibly diverse tones and shades found in home interiors, clothing, and cosmetics are very difficult to accurately reproduce on mobile device displays. Cameras are not precise enough to accurately compare the difference between the colors of products offered online and the colors seen in the consumer's physical environment. This is a factor that makes consumers uncertain and hesitant when purchasing items where color is important online.

The solution jointly developed by ams and X-Rite is the world's first spectral color measurement solution that embeds and utilizes Pantone color standards in mobile devices. This ultra-compact module is mounted on the back of a smartphone and includes an advanced 11-channel spectral sensor and optical components that enable users to measure the color of objects non-contactually. The solution connects to Pantone's world-leading color reference system via cloud technology. Consumers, brands, and retailers can now verify and share product colors, making it easier to browse product catalogs and enabling them to make purchasing decisions more confidently for color-sensitive items.

Richard Roth, Vice President of Product Management at X-Rite, stated, “Collaborating with ams was the ideal choice for X-Rite to launch a complete end-to-end mobile color solution,” adding, “This mobile sensing solution complements X-Rite’s existing Color-Eye, enabling cosmetics, home interior, fashion, and paint companies to easily integrate color matching technology into their existing mobile shopping or augmented reality (AR) applications.” "This enables consumers to search, match, and purchase products with confidence in the color," he said.

Jean-François Durix, Marketing Director for Color and Spectrum Sensing at ams, stated, “We are launching the world’s first mobile color sensing solution that helps meet the demands of key markets. Pantone is trusted by designers, product manufacturers, and brands worldwide, as well as widely recognized by consumers. We believe this solution will boost e-commerce activity while reducing returns caused by color discrepancies.”