Apple is said to have begun stocking up on iBeacon transmitters, and the company, in the next few days, will begin installing these sensors in many Apple Stores across the United States. These transmitters will be placed on the tables that house Apple products in addition to store shelves holding accessories. The technology will serve as a way to both improve the Apple shopping experience, and in-turn, boost product sales. The sources say that the technology will be used in tandem with an upcoming update to the Apple Store iPhone app.
The service will allow a customer to walk up to a product and then receive a notification on their iPhone with additional information such as pricing and features. Besides the aforementioned upcoming capabilities, sources say that Apple is testing other uses for iBeacons. The technology could be used for locating customers waiting for upcoming Genius Bar appointments, could be used for presenting advertisements or deals relative to nearby products, or even for purchasing products with enhanced security via the Apple Store application. These other uses will likely arrive farther into the future. Another feature in testing is the ability for a customer to be notified of a repair being ready to pickup if they are in or near the Apple Store.
The Apple Store app is already capable of knowing if a customer is in an Apple Store, but the iBeacon geofence technology will greatly improve location accuracy. In addition to the upcoming uses for Apple Stores, sources say that Apple is actively developing a new indoor mapping feature for a future version of iOS. This updated Maps application, which will also include public transportation information, could assist users in navigating through stores and buildings. It is possible that iBeacon transmitters could tie into this for providing information along navigated paths.