Tokyo subways to test how mobile content affects passengers
computerworld.com | February 13, 2013
Tokyo's subways will soon offer a new mobile app with free Wi-Fi access, then track if the information it provides changes passenger habits.
Tokyo Metro, which operates the city's subway system, said the new portal service* will act as an online subway guide that updates automatically as passengers move between stations. It will provide schedules, station maps, and information on crowded areas and which train cars to board for the best access, as well as news and "entertainment information."
The company said it will test whether passengers react to the different types of information it provides. A Tokyo Metro spokesman said it has not yet determined exactly the ways it will track passengers.
In addition to access to information provided by the app and Wi-Fi connections, Tokyo Metro also has access to data from its ticket gates in stations across the city. Many riders use NFC touch-card technology built into their mobile phones in place of train tickets and passes.
The service will begin as a trial, running from Thursday...more...
*The service is called "MANTA."
