Apple has started using iBeacons at all of its 254 retail stores in the U.S. The new technology enables Apple customers to instantly purchase new items at the store and enables any iOS device to send push notifications to another iOS device nearby.
We have been hearing for a while that Apple is readying a payment solution of its own. Many speculated that the company may do so by using the iBeacon technology which relies on Low Energy Bluetooth (BLE).
Imagine walking into an Apple Store, going near the iPad wall and receiving iPad-related notifications on your device. Or going to the portion of Mac machines to check on your last order and receiving an iBeacon notification that your order is ready now. In this way, iBeacon can be used to push notifications to devices within a vicinity or they can be further targeted at a particular wall or aisle.
Moreover, since iBeacon uses far less power, it is ideal for a whole range of devices. To use iBeacon, an iOS device must have the official app as well as Bluetooth enabled. The users further need to authorize the app to share their device’s location, something which may raise privacy concerns among some.
Apple is very ambitious about the uses of the iBeacon technology. The company has floated the idea that this Bluetooth-relying tech can be used to push out information to commuters as they wait for the subway or to provide sports facts to the people visiting a stadium. In short, the technology’s location awareness at such a micro level may radically change the way we use smart devices.
Source: AP
Courtesy: Apple Insider
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