Somebody here a few days ago questioned whether integrated products were ever going to appear because it was to P&G's advantage to keep the creams separate from the devices. That way they would only have to pay royalties to OBJ for the devices and not for each subsequent cream sale.
I actually think P&G are VERY keen to proceed with the integrated devices and will likely phase out Magnemasks after a reasonable overlap period. Four reasons I see :
1) One of the main reasons for their urgency is the arrival of imitation products. Not really counterfeit, but similar looking products claiming to do exactly what the Booster/Infuser does (patents be damned). I have posted pages with dozens of these products listed, all of which are specifically designed to take sales away from P&G. Once the device is integrated into the packaging, the problem of knockoff/ripoff products goes away - Customers may be willing to try any magnetic/vibrating device, but they are often very loyal to the creams they think work so knockoff integrated products without the SK-II or Olay name won't have much attraction.
2) Using the devices with competing products. There is nothing stopping a customer switching brands and using the Booster/Infuser with L'Oréal, Estée Lauder, or whatever. Sure, its only supposed to work with P&G products, but if the ingredients are similar, just try convincing the customer of that. This reason was highlighted by Jeff a few years back when he stresses that P&G were all on board with integrated products.
3) Capturing a higher margin. We have seen how much SK-II and Olay charge for these devices. Magnemasks is one of the highest priced Olay product on the shelves. Integrated products are going to be priced accordingly and while P&G will pay OBJ for each sale, does anyone doubt that P&G wont be doing better for themselves?
4) Brand loyalty. Tied to point 2 above, once the tech is integrated with the cream, customers will be losing the 3X benefit if they move to a competing major brand who can't imitate the tech without infringing patents.
Back to the imitators.. this post was inspired by reading an article extolling the benefits of one of these products. It actually claims to be the eye wand + the booster + improvements all rolled into a single product at about 10% of the cost. I really don't think P&G want to remain in the mire of competing with the likes of this :
"The frequency of SK-II and OLAY is only 7000/min many times, and the frequency of IMATE can reach 10,000 times/min, which can better promote the absorption of water emulsion."
It is really useful, a combination of magnetic, ionic, and micro-current beauty black technology, a top: promote absorption, lifting firming, soothing massage, eliminating edema. Use it for two minutes every day, and get the beauty, and the price is very high, the price is only 1/10 of the big beauty instrument.
(20min delay)