The UK’s second busiest airport has installed 2,000 Bluetooth beacons to help its passengers find their way around. We asked the technology provider about how the technology works, and what’s coming next.

Location-based marketing looks set to explode in the coming years, as a new survey reveals almost three-quarters of retail industry executives plan to invest in beacons by 2021.

Bus passengers in a town in northern England are testing a mobile ticketing system that uses Bluetooth beacons and a smartphone app instead of buying a ticket.

Bluetooth beacons offer a great opportunity for many industries to work more efficiently and improve their offering to customers. One of the most interesting applications is in the world of retail, where the phrase ‘know your customer’ is taking on a whole new meaning.

Satellite navigation has revolutionized the way we get around. It’s cheap, fast and easy to use. But there’s one fatal flaw in the system: It simply can’t work underground.

Tracking equipment in a large facility is a difficult task. Checking inventory for things such as location, condition and battery life can be very time-consuming. In this article we look at a few ways to make this process smarter, simpler and quicker.

As adoption of proximity technology gathers pace, the next generation of beacons have already hit the market. Thinner, lighter, more portable and equipped with sensors, “nearables” open up a whole new range of possibilities for keen app developers.

America’s FCC estimates 10,000 lives could be saved every year by improving location accuracy for emergency services. Although the communications industry is working on viable solutions, a Bluetooth-enabled solution is available today. So what’s the hold-up?

App development for railway stations and train operators is nothing new. Live departure times and reservations have been available as apps for a while, but it’s still primarily a manual process.
Wouldn’t it be better to just have the app prompt your purchase as soon as you reach the station? Of course it would, and although the technology is available, we are not quite ready for such a change.