We have been doing some work with Beacons (iBeacon’s) at the moment and there where many preconceptions we had to overcome before getting to grips with the technology. We have compiled this presentation to help explain the landscape and explore some possibilities.

1. Beacons explained

2. When devices have apps installed that
have been built to respond to the specific
signal from the beacon then a pre-defined
action will be triggered. The sort of actions
that might happen include sending
notifications, navigating to specific areas
in the app, or navigate to a web page.
What is a beacon?
Beacons are a simple piece of kit.
They broadcast a signal that can
be picked up by mobile devices.
Certain apps listen for these signals,
and use them to trigger actions
in the app.
2/10
Beacons Explained

3. Busting the preconceptions
Beacons DON’T send content to a device
Beacons are NOT for iOS only (iBeacon
is a trademark of Apple)
Beacons will NOT drain your battery
Beacons can NOT prompt an app
to be downloaded
3/10
Beacons Explained

4. <1m
1-10m
10-30m
Beacons can help with indoor navigation
by providing location information to users,
based on which beacons are nearby and
their known location.
Features
Beacons work on 3 levels of proximity:
Far: 10-30m
Near: 1-10m
Immediate: under 1m
4/10
Beacons Explained

5. Additional information
Beacons can be used to trigger apps
to show additional information based
on the users current position.
5/10
Beacons Explained
Opportunities

6. Environment triggers
For example, property apps could
be designed to trigger notifications
when walking past homes for sale.
6/10
Beacons Explained
Opportunities

7. Examples of use
Welcome visitors back to a location
Push coupons to your phone
Offer indoor navigation
Enable payments at the point
of sale (POS)
Reward regular visitors with coupons
Display all kinds of content
such as video and audio
Depending on hardware you can
measure temperature
Discount vouchers
Send discount vouchers directly
to the phones of people as they
pass by shops and restaurants.
7/10
Opportunities
Beacons Explained

8. However, BLE only supports low data rates;
you can’t stream audio or send large files with it.
BLE is ideal for transmitting smaller amounts
of data though, such as fitness data to fitness
trackers or payment data to beacons.
Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
BLE is a technology meant for transferring data.
It consumes minuscule amounts of energy and
allows device batteries to last longer.
8/10
Beacons Explained

9. 9/10
The future
With iOS8 Apple is building
on iBeacons by allowing push
notifications, triggered by
a beacon in relatively close
proximity, to display on an
iPhone or iPad lock screen.
Beacons Explained

10. Established 1991 • Based in Old Street, London • 16 Employees
About the presenter
Sarah Edwards is the Creative Director of
Make it Digital, a Division of Make it Clear.
sarah.edwards@makeitclear.co.uk
www.makeitdigital.co.uk
@Make1tDigital