What Is iBeacon?

An iBeacon may be one of many popular things to drop at a party, but it's a great way to catch people's attention. If you're looking for a way to locate your phone, keys, or wallet while staying informed about your surroundings, an iBeacon might be just what you need. What is an iBeacon? iBeacons are small-scale network transmitters that identify and track smartphones. iBeacons are available on Android devices as well, although Apple trademarks them. The system works on a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) platform. Small physical areas can be crossed using this system. Users can send and receive signals using this system. Apple's new iBeacon feature is excellent. It lets you know when you're near a store or restaurant you like, so you can save time remembering where it is and what it's called. There are some issues with it. The first issue is privacy—some tech experts say that the iBeacon feature turns an opt-in system into an opt-out system, meaning that even if someone doesn't want their device to receive messages from retailers or restaurants, they might still get them anyway because they didn't know they had to turn off the function. Another issue is that sometimes people forget to turn off their phone when they leave a store or restaurant, and then their phone starts receiving messages from other retailers and restaurants in the area. This can lead to confusion about which announcement came from where and even frustration if it seems like too many stores and restaurants are sending messages at once. It's all about the beacons. iBeacon technology lets you know when you're near something, like a product or an advertisement. It's also been linked to IoT, where many devices are extensively connected. Some experts believe that iBeacon technology will play a part in the growth of small cellular base stations, also known as picocells, which will extend wireless connections in locations where significant networks cannot reach. It's becoming popular for enterprises to utilize iBeacon and comparable technologies inside stores and shopping malls as commercial network traffic managers. IBeacon will be an essential part of how we interact with our environment as we move into this new world filled with sensors and connected devices—and we can't wait!