Priceline.com Launches Android "Companion" Wearable App Designed to Assist the Forgetful Last-Minute Traveler

NORWALK, Conn., June 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Priceline.com, a leader in mobile travel and part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN), announced today the launch of its priceline.com app for Android Wear supporting the Android mobile operating system.  The priceline.com Android Wear app uses Google map technology to pinpoint local places like convenience stores, ATMs and pharmacies within the vicinity of a traveler's hotel and will be available for free download from the Google Play store as of June 8.

Embedded in the Android reservation, the app creates a geo-fence around the hotel's latitude/longitude.  The Wear app is triggered when the user enters the geo-fence radius, and the app will display a map of local places (e.g., convenience stores, ATMs, pharmacies) where spontaneous travelers can pick up items they may have forgotten.  The Wear app map updates as the user moves and allows them to get turn-by-turn navigation, save places and more.

"Technology has liberated the last-minute traveler to pick up, find a priceline.com deal and go at a moment's notice, but over 93% of Americans surveyed admitted to forgetting something for their trip," said John Caine, Chief Product Officer for priceline.com.  "The priceline.com Android Wear app allows our customers to find whatever they have forgotten by merely glancing at their wrist when near their hotel." 

With recent Android Wear platform updates such as the always-on ambi-active display, app developers can view persistent information on the screen in a low-power mode, allowing last-minute travelers the freedom to continuously discover what's in their travel location without planning ahead or overusing battery power.

"Contextual information is the true benefit of wearable technology," shared Caine.  "Consumers want to connect with key services at the right time and in the right place.  Wearable technology allows apps to be helpful and unobtrusive serving as a companion to travelers and other apps rather than a replicate of the phone app."

Priceline.com recently surveyed adults about their travel necessities and found:

• Personal hygiene products/toiletries is the number one most forgotten item for 93% of consumers surveyed.
• This is followed by a charger/power cord or other electronic items at 52%, weather necessities (warm clothing, umbrella, raincoat) at 35%, beach/pool necessities (bathing suit, towel, sunscreen) at 27%, first aid/over-the-counter medication at 26%, food/snacks at 21% and vision products (contacts, contact solution) at 20%.
• Three out of five adults surveyed visited a convenience store during their trip and about half (52%) visited a pharmacy to purchase last-minute necessities.
• Ninety-four percent of consumers expect to find free shampoo in their hotel rooms and 28% expect a hotel to offer toothpaste.

For more information, please visit www.priceline.com/media or connect with priceline.com on Facebook and Twitter.

About priceline.com

Priceline.com, part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN), gives leisure travelers multiple ways to save on their airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages and cruises. In addition to getting compelling published prices, travelers can take advantage of priceline.com's famous Name Your Own Price® service, which can deliver the lowest prices available, or the recently added Express Deals®, where travelers can take advantage of hotel discounts without bidding.

About the Survey

The priceline.com travel survey, conducted in English using Google Consumer Surveys in May 2015, surveyed 539 nationally representative U.S. adults who have traveled and stayed at a hotel in the last year.

For press information: Flavie Lemarchand-Wood at [email protected].

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150603/220514 
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150603/220515 

SOURCE Priceline.com

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