iBeacon is the name used for Apple’s technology that provides location-based services and information to mobile applications on both Android and iOS devices using Bluetooth Low Energy.
The beacons themselves are small transmitters that can be placed in stores or specific points of interest, such as museums or airports. Apps installed on mobile devices “listen” for the signal and respond accordingly when the phone comes within range.
iBeacon changes shoppers into byers
First of all, iBeacon technology opens great possibilities to retailers. Some of American and European big retailers already take advantage of iBeacon: Walmart, Macy’s, Tesco, etc
Using iBeacon, customers can find and watch videos, receive coupons and other discounts in real time, depending on where they are in a store.
IBeacon also helps to collect analytical info about customers` experience. Businesses and retailers now have a direct way to find out what customers are doing, exactly where in the store they are doing it, what they are looking at, how long they are looking at it, and maybe what they decided to buy at the last second instead.
At last, iBeacon can bring popularity to contactless payment. iBeacons ability to track a specific phone, linked to an Apple ID and user account opens the door for an Apple-based payment system.
iBeacon is not only about retail. The iBeacon ecosystem has the potential to change other industries. Here are some examples.
Event Industry: conferences and concerts, museums and exhibitions.
Here are a few ways iBeacons could help to manage events and improve the attendee experience:
-Attendee check-in. Using the event’s app, attendees check themselves in and avoid line-ups.
-Navigation. iBeacons provide devices with extremely accurate location services. In large conference facilities, museums and exhibitions, iBeacons can be used to power hyper-accurate floor maps.
-Networking. Using iBeacons, attendees can network through an opt-in feature in the event’s app, allowing them to discover and message other attendees. With Linkedin integration, attendees can get a detailed look at who is around them and decide who they would like to connect with. iBeacons were successfully used at Cannes Lions festival for networking with attendees.
-Promotions and advertisements. Instead of distributing brochures or physical promotional materials, an exhibitor can send targeted promotions to attract attendees to their stand.
-Gamification. Integrating gamification into events will provide new ways to engage and stimulate attendees. For example, iBeacons could be used for social games to drive networking, venue tours tailored to indiviual interests, or scavenger hunts for exclusive information and prizes.
Home automation systems
As we get closer to the coming smart home revolution, it’s clear that smartphones and tablets are going to be the devices that we use to control our lamps, lights, thermostats, sprinklers, security systems and entertainment systems. Beacons will detect when you arrive home and as you pull into the driveway , the lights will come on. The door is unlocked for you as you approach itJ
Restaurants
Enabled with touch devices, waiters don’t have to rush to the kitchen in order to dispatch orders. In other cases, clients can make orders directly on tablets available at the table. With iBeacons, the app automatically knows which table the waiter is at. It can display the client name (with eventual dinning/preferences history) and automatically associate orders with tables without requiring waiters to manually select a table number.
Education
The iBeacon platform offers a wide range of applications that can be applied on an educational context. From simple games that require students to move around, explore and find things to more scientifc or technical experiments in the classroom. Moreover teachers can track who from the students are present and send notifications to the parents whose children are away.
IBeacon is a new emerging technology that may change the world we live in. Things move quickly in any field in which a technology innovation has backing and breadth like this. This short list is only an introduction to the possibilities of iBeacon and where this technology can be applied.
And what do you think of iBeacon? Will it change our lives in the near future?
I`ll be happy to know your thoughts.
Anna Kozik
Business Development Manager
I just got back from a conference where we were supporting iBeacon deployments and mobile apps. Essentially, iBeacons function great when there aren’t a lot of bodies in the room. However, once you get several hundred people in a room the strength and fidelity of the beacon signal starts to deteriorate and become errants.
In addition to the items you mentioned for conference, we also used this as a metric to determine who was at the sessions they have signed up for, as well as which hosts weren’t there when they were supposed to be.
Finally, we used beacons to display location on the map so users could tell where they were in relation to other key interest points.