Apple has implemented iBeacon, a geo-location technology developed by the company, in all 254 of its U.S. stores. iBeacon was created to help guide customers through the store and deliver product notifications, events and other information directly to their smartphones.
With the rollout, shoppers will receive location-tailored messages on their iPhones and iPads when they enter a store powered with iBeacon transmitters, according to the Associated Press. For example, consumers can be notified if products they order are ready to be picked up.
Apple has installed approximately 20 iBeacon transmitters, some of which are iPhones and iPads, in its 5th Avenue store in New York City. The transmitters leverage Bluetooth wireless technology to acquire more precise information on a consumer’s location.
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Apple officials said iBeacon provides apps with “a whole new level of micro-location awareness, such as trail markers in a park, exhibits in a museum, or product displays in stores.”
Major League Baseball, for instance, plans to use the technology to help customize fans’ experiences at ballparks when they tap into the Ballpark app.
To gain access to the technology, shoppers must download the iBeacon app from the Apple Store, activate the Bluetooth feature and install the iOS 7 operating system on their devices.
