iBeacon Technology Begins Moving Into the Home and NBA Arenas

Apple's iBeacon technology is poised to influence the retail sector by offering a personalized shopping experience to customers, but it may also have personal benefits by interacting with apps when a user is at home.

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As spotted by TechCrunch, new iOS app Placed gives us a glimpse into personal iBeacon usage, linking an incoming iBeacon signal to apps associated with common household activities. With appropriately placed iBeacons, you could enable the remote when you sit on the couch or start a timer when you step up to the oven to cook.

It's an early implementation of iBeacon technology as the app integration is only partially automated, sending a notification to your phone that requires you to manually launch an app before anything happens. It an interesting use of iBeacon technology, though, and a small step towards a wider use of iBeacons the automated home.


Besides personal and retail use, iBeacon technology also is being used in sports to assist fans and add to the overall game experience. The Golden State Warriors became the first NBA team to adopt Apple's iBeacon technology, installing the Bluetooth transmitters in the team's home arena, reports Business Week.

The iBeacon technology is being used to boost ticket sales by prompting fans to upgrade their tickets as they make their way to their nosebleed seats inside Oracle Arena. The Warriors, as well as other sports teams, already offer seat upgrades through their mobile apps, but this is the first time iBeacons have been used to boost ticket sales in this way.

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Top Rated Comments

RightMACatU Avatar
146 months ago
you could enable the remote when you sit on the couch or start a timer when you step up to the oven to cook.

Hummmm... iBacon :D
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NightFox Avatar
146 months ago
There's lots of great potential here, such as music that follows you round your home or automatic lighting using a system such as Philips Hue. The only problem is that due to the sandboxed nature of iOS its success will be totally reliant on how Apple allows the technology to integrate with third party apps through public APIs.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thefourthpope Avatar
146 months ago
iUltrahouse 3000
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
146 months ago
Time to force-feed my pets some iBeacons. For… added security.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghettochris Avatar
146 months ago
I want an iBeacon that let's my phone know when I'm in bed and automatically puts my phone on silent.

you could just set a schedule for do not disturb. :cool:
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jmh600cbr Avatar
146 months ago
That's a great idea. Hopefully it's not expensive.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)