For the length of human history, technology has played an important role in preventing theft. Before car keys, Henry Ford had to chain his car to a lamppost to avoid anyone with the strength to turn a physical crank from stealing it. Anti-theft technology has moved on significantly since Ford’s day, but so too have the criminals, and it’s not just cars they have in their sights.

Carrying more than 90 percent of the world’s goods—cargo worth an estimated $14 trillion each year—shipping containers are as essential to global logistics as ships, trains, and trucks. Keeping track of these ubiquitous steel boxes to ensure they and their contents reach their destination is a significant undertaking, with an estimated 65 million containers in circulation.

Beacon technology is rapidly evolving. Today's devices support use cases that extend from proactive retail engagement to indoor asset tracking and navigation in shopping malls, airports, hospitals, and more.

The global asset tracking market is going places fast. In our increasingly connected world, technology designed to track valuable items, animals or even children, is becoming more prevalent and pivotal than ever before.