Google’s Chandu Thota will explain the company’s perspective on the differences between “location” and “places” and the vision for a digitally connected physical world.

1. Contextualizing the
Physical World
Place 2016, Local Search Association
@chanduthota

3. location accuracy is overrated

4. (latitude, longitude)
37.796,-122.393

5. 25m

6. 6m

7. 1m

8. * EPA Study
we spend 90%* of time indoors!

9. “Where is the ATM in this
mall?”
Lala
“How many customers come
to my store based on my
online campaign?”
Lala
“Are there coupons for this
brand in this aisle in front of
me ”
“Where can I find restrooms?”

10. if you get places right, do you still care about 6 decimals?

11. location
(Coordinates)
Place
(Experiences)
37.796,-122.393
The Shop
place = semantically contextualized location

12. Photo: Pauli Rautakorpi, CC-BY-3.0
● GNSS
● Cellular
● WIFI
● Bluetooth
● Magnetometer
● Gyroscope
● LED
● Audio
● Video
● RFID/NFC
● Barometer
● Accelerometer
● ...

16. but our users expect more

17. Eddystone beacons mark important
places or objects, in a way your
phone understand

19. Nearby Notifications: Apps, Instant
Apps, Physical Web

20. Nearby Notifications:
Apps, Instant Apps, Physical Web
No app required!

21. Source: Google Internal Data
Google beacon platform: already at scale

22. 33 beacon manufacturers support Eddystone and
Google Beacon Platform
on manufacturers

23. Amsterdam
Open Beacon Network

25. Get the in-flight
entertainment app

26. Example: App install at the gate

27. Physical Web:
Tour Notre Dame
flickr.com/rjohns

28. Example: Notre Dame Campus Tour
Add web URLs to beacons, making
them part of the Physical Web
Notre Dame Campus Tour ‘hooks’
websites onto physical locations,
providing visitors with background
and web-based interaction.

29. Online to Offline
Conversions

30. Beacons improve in-store
experiences and conversion
measurement as a result

32. Appendix