Apple Rolling Out New iBeacon Transmitters, NFC Readers to Apple Stores and Disney Stores
Apple is rolling out near field communication (NFC) readers and updated versions of its iBeacon transmitters to its own stores and Disney Stores ahead of the launch of its mobile payments service and the iPhone 6, reports 9to5Mac.
The company will begin integrating new proximity beacons made by Gimbal that will provide more accurate iBeacon location tracking in its own stores, and roll out new payment systems to support the NFC capabilities on the iPhone 6 and its highly-anticipated wearable device.
The report also notes that Apple may be planning to roll out its own first-party iBeacon sensors in its retail locations, and could also provide or sell the transmitters to other retailers as an incentive to sign up for its new mobile payments service. An FCC filing earlier this year revealed that Apple was developing its own first-party iBeacon hardware, which may end up being the new hardware discussed in this latest report.
Disney's retail stores are also said to be receiving new credit card machines that support NFC, which will also likely integrate with Apple's new mobile payment service. Reports from this past week have also indicated that Apple will be partnering with a number of other retailers for the service, including Walgreens, CVS, Nordstrom and more.
Apple has also established deals with major credit companies such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and credit card issuers to support its mobile payments service.
Apple will likely unveil its mobile payments service on Tuesday, along with the new iPhone 6 and its highly-rumored wearable device. Apple's media event kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, and MacRumors will have full coverage as the event unfolds.
Popular Stories
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
