Sweden's first unmanned convenience store was launched after the owner's late-night drive from a small town to a supermarket, to buy baby food for a toddler. The 24-hour food shop has no cashier and customers just use a smartphone to unlock the door using a finger swipe, and then scan the bar codes of purchased items. They simply have to register for the new service, download an app, and then receive a monthly invoice of their purchases.

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IT specialist Robert Ilijason got the idea for the unstaffed food shop when he dropped the last baby food jar on his home's floor. This resulted in a 20-minute drive to the nearest grocery store while his 7-month-old hungry son cried in the vehicle's backseat.   

Ilijason's shop includes basic products that are common in a small convenience store including milk, bread, canned food, and diapers.

The store does not sell alcohol because it is illegal for Swedish convenience stores. It also does not carry tobacco or pharmaceutical drugs due to the high risk of theft, according to Phys.  

The robotic store includes six security cameras to prevent shoplifting in the 480-square-foot (45-square-meter) area. Ilijason also receives a mobile alert if someone tries to break open the front door or it stays open for more than eight seconds. However, since the store opened in January there have been no security issues.

Ilijason is thinking about a new way to unlock the front door that does not require a smartphone app. He will not use fingerprint scanners or face recognition but he might use a credit card reader or have a human manage the store for a few hours to help people who are not tech savvy.

75-year-old Tuve Nilsson shared that the store is helpful for elderly people who live alone, but they might have problems using the modern technology.

Ilijason hopes that other villages and small towns will also add unmanned convenience stores. In fact, he is surprised that nobody had thought of the idea before.

The IT worker also hopes the no-staff shops will bring small stores to rural areas. Big supermarkets have replaced them in recent decades, but they are several miles away.  

In other mobile app news Houston has introduced a mobile ticketing app that lets commuters buy public bus tickets on their smartphones, according to City Lab. It will end waiting in line to refill a Metro card.