Marsh Supermarkets and inMarket Launching First iBeacon Platform for Apple's Upcoming Watch

Marsh Supermarkets and inMarket today are announcing the launch of a new iBeacon platform throughout Marsh's 75 supermarket locations that will enable Apple Watch users to receive interactive alerts and other content on their devices based on their proximity to Marsh's beacons. The program is the first integration of iBeacon technology with Apple's wearable product, which is expected to launch to the public in the next several months.

"iBeacons have created new ways to connect with mobile shoppers in the store, and inMarket allows us to reach many of our shoppers through the apps they love and use everyday," said Amit Bhardwaj, Senior Director of Customer Loyalty, Marsh Supermarkets. "Now with wearable integration, shoppers who use Apple Watch will enjoy the same digitally-augmented, real-world shopping experience."

Marsh and inMarket are working together to develop a platform that will initially include Marsh's own app and inMarket's List Ease app, with other apps likely to quickly follow. As envisioned, inMarket's beacons in Marsh stores will be able to trigger alerts such as shopping lists, ads, and other content for customers who use Marsh's mobile app or one of the apps that incorporate inMarket's Proximity SDK.

Customers who opt into the program could receive offers, recipes, and other alerts on their mobile devices as they walk through the grocery store, and the system will automatically extend to the Apple Watch on day one as the apps are updated to add support for the device.


Marsh may be the first to extend Apple's iBeacon capabilities to the Apple Watch, but it isn't the first to adopt the location-based technology. Retailer Macy's, Virgin Atlantic airlines and Major League Baseball are among the early adopters that rolled out iBeacons in their respective venues.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
Apple Fitness Plus hero

Apple Announces New Fitness+ Workout Programs, Strava Challenge, and More

Friday January 2, 2026 6:43 am PST by
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch. The key announcements include: New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January. "Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...
govee floor lamp

CES 2026: Govee Announces New Matter-Connected Ceiling and Floor Lights

Sunday January 4, 2026 5:00 am PST by
Govee today introduced three new HomeKit-compatible lighting products, including the Govee Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light. The Govee Floor Lamp 3 is the successor to the Floor Lamp 2, and it offers Matter integration with the option to connect to HomeKit. The Floor Lamp 3 offers an upgraded LuminBlend+ lighting system that can reproduce 281...

Top Rated Comments

kdarling Avatar
143 months ago
I'm imagining a grocery store where suddenly everyone stops pushing their carts, checks their watch to see what ad they just got, then all start moving again.

Would've made a great Outer Limits episode decades ago.

Or maybe just a scene in The Stepford Wives.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FieldingMellish Avatar
143 months ago
Pop up ads wherever we walk now.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JAQ Avatar
143 months ago
If you chose to opt-in.
So only for masochists, idiots, and compulsive first-adopters then.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brucerb Avatar
143 months ago
Who?

For the 95% of you who, like me, had never heard of Marsh Supermarkets, looks like it's a chain in Ohio and Indiana only.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Boatboy24 Avatar
143 months ago
"Bananas are on your shopping list and you just walked past them. Would you like to turn around, or remove them from your list? Monitoring sensors indicate your are very low in potassium. It is recommended that you turn around."
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IJ Reilly Avatar
143 months ago
Convenience. :)

I'm not seeing the convenience of having my phone and watch marketing to me while I shop, but I can sure see the potential for annoyance.

----------

I think it's very compelling to be alerted as I approach something on my shopping list. It's also nice to be alerted if a similar item is on sale or there is a coupon for it. Remember this is all opt-in so saying it has no value is like saying there is no value in discounts or there is no value for the most knowledgable store employee that knows where everything you need is.

Not to me, sorry. The grocery stores (and others) are already merchandising with their loyalty programs that we are more or less forced to use, or pay more for virtually everything. If this becomes just another avenue for this kind of consumer abuse then I am not for it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)