What is a beacon? Explanation of differences from GPS and usage scenarios

A beacon is a device that uses radio waves to transmit location information within a range of 10 to 100m. Due to the short-range communication feature compared to GPS and Wi-Fi, advertisements and coupons can be delivered to the smartphones of prospective customers near the store. It is also possible to realize entertainment, nursing care, and security-related services that utilize location information.

On the other hand, it is expected that specifications will change for the time being, such as beacon multi-functionality and security measures. In other words, when considering a service that uses beacons, it is necessary to understand future technological trends and issues in addition to the merits of introduction .

In this article, we will explain useful information for those who are considering introducing services using beacons, such as basic knowledge of beacons, service examples, and issues in using them.

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A beacon is a wireless device that uses radio waves and infrared rays to transmit location information within a range of about 10 to 100m. Beacons are used in various fields, such as car navigation systems, game applications, and check-in at stores.

Recently, many services built by combining beacons with Bluetooth, one of the short-range wireless communication standards, have been deployed.

By the way, there are wireless devices other than Bluetooth that use “RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)”, “ultrasound”, “geomagnetism”, and “Ultra Wide Band”. Of these, RFID is often used as a replacement for barcodes.

RFID makes it possible to read and write information in RF tags attached to products without contact. Unlike barcodes, which are read one by one with laser light, RFID can scan RF tags within a range where radio waves can reach, all at once. By taking advantage of the features of RFID, it is possible to improve the work efficiency of inventory management.

The rising beacon market

Along with the spread of services such as marketing, entertainment, nursing care, and crime prevention using location information, the market size of beacons using Bluetooth is expanding. According to the ” Bluetooth Market Trends 2020 ” announced by the BlueTooth SIG , the number of shipments of Bluetooth location information service devices in 2020 will be 186 million units, and it is expected to be 538 million units in 2024.

Various services can be realized by receiving beacon information with a smartphone connected to the Internet.

In order to provide services using beacons, specifications for communication between smartphones and beacons are required. The main communication specifications are introduced below.

1.iBeacon

It is an iOS communication specification that uses Bluetooth low energy (BLE) developed and provided by Apple, and has been installed since iOS7. It stipulates a mechanism for an application such as an iPhone to query the server for the unique ID of the beacon via the Internet and display the information from the server on the application.

2.Eddystone

It is a beacon standard that uses BLE specified by Google, and can be used on various platforms that use BLE, such as Android and iOS. It consists of “Eddystone-UID” that transmits the beacon’s unique ID, “Eddystone-URL” that transmits the URL, and “Eddystone-TLM” that transmits information such as the remaining battery level.

3.LINE Beacon

A beacon function implemented in the LINE app. For example, stores equipped with beacon terminals can deliver coupons and advertisements using smartphone location information. Use “LINE official account” for distribution. The store side needs to open a LINE official account, and the consumer side needs to register the LINE official account as a friend.

When examining beacons, I think many people wonder, “What is the difference from GPS?” Since GPS receives radio waves from artificial satellites to identify positions, it has the disadvantage that radio waves are difficult to reach underground or inside buildings.

Beacons, on the other hand, can pinpoint the location of a smartphone with Bluetooth turned on, even in areas where GPS is difficult to reach. Other benefits of beacons include:

• Increased motivation of sales representatives through successful experiences
• The size of the beacon is small, about “coin size to cigarette size”. Wide range of applications.
• If you attach a sensor to the beacon, you can send the information detected by the sensor. (e.g. pressure sensor, temperature sensor, etc.)

Now, let’s take a look at some typical uses of beacons and how they are actually used.

Sales Promotion

“One to One Marketing” can be achieved by using location identification and information from the Internet. For example, it is possible to introduce products and campaigns that are suitable for prospective customers, and to distribute coupons. In addition, services such as offering incentives to prospective customers who enter the store can be implemented.

Inventory control

By combining a beacon transmission device and a pressure sensor, you can build a system that notifies you when the inventory is exhausted when the pressure non-detection state is detected.

entertainment

At amusement parks, museums, zoos, etc., guidance information can be sent to visitors’ smartphones according to themes and events.

nursing

Beacons can be installed in facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, and nursing homes, and can be used for monitoring services for users.Inventory management of equipment and equipment is also possible.

crime prevention

Beacons can be installed on the street and used as a monitoring service for small children and elderly people with dementia. It is also possible to build a function to notify parents and family members of location information by e-mail.

As examples of using beacons, we will introduce three cases of “sales at physical stores,” “vending machines,” and “crime prevention.”

Sales at physical stores: Distribution of product introductions and campaigns (ZOZO)

We attached button-shaped beacons using LINE Beacons to products in physical apparel stores. When a visitor presses the button on the beacon attached to the product, product information is delivered to the LINE installed on the smartphone.

Vending machine: combination of vending machine and beacon (Coca-Cola)

In 2016, Coca-Cola launched “Coke On,” a platform that links apps and vending machines to improve earnings. Since February 2017, we have introduced beacons to CokeOn to optimize the product lineup and strengthen the development of services that increase social value. Kirin is also implementing a similar initiative under the name of “Tappiness.”

Crime prevention: Support for watching over children and the elderly (Kakogawa City)

In Kakogawa City, Hyogo Prefecture, we are working on monitoring support for children and elderly people with dementia using beacon tags (BLE tags) with the aim of reducing the anxiety and effort of individuals and their families. A camera is built into the beacon tag detector, and when the detector detects a beacon tag, it will send an image and location information to the guardian.

The spread of services using beacons will become more active in the future, and the key to success will be “what kind of customer experience can be provided with beacons? ”

In addition, the version of Bluetooth, which is the communication standard for beacons, is being upgraded from time to time, and it is expected that new technologies will continue to be implemented. In addition, unerry, which builds the DX platform, provides an environment under the name of BeaconBank that allows users to start a service without owning a beacon.

In this situation where the environment surrounding beacon continues to change, it is realistically difficult to develop services on our own. Therefore, when developing a service for your company, it is important to collaborate with a specialized development partner who has accumulated know-how .

It is expected that the use of location information data, centered on sales, hospitality, transportation and logistics, and entertainment, will expand further, and the fields of application will also expand.

The spread of beacons using Bluetooth depends on the creation of services that are difficult to achieve with GPS, Wi-Fi, and NFC (Near Field Communication) . For example, Bluetooth is suitable for systems that display content tailored to users through communication between digital signage and smartphones. Various services will be developed in the future.

On the other hand, it is also necessary to understand what could hinder the spread of beacons using Bluetooth.

The existence of smartphones is indispensable for the spread of beacons. As awareness of smartphone security increases, the following issues arise.

• As a security measure, many people turn off Bluetooth settings on their smartphones.
• Most people don’t install apps unless they really need them

In other words, when using beacons, it is necessary to explain not only convenience but also safe and secure use .

As influential companies such as Apple, Google, and LINE provide platforms for beacon utilization, beacons are expected to become more popular in the future.

Furthermore, as Bluetooth becomes more multi-functional and secure, new marketing methods that combine smartphones and beacons will likely be established . Specifically, it is believed that the use of beacons will increase in O2O marketing and omni-channel. We introduce the use of O2O marketing on another page of this media , so please take a look if you are interested.

With the spread of beacons using Bluetooth, there is also a demand for measures that allow users to use them safely and securely. There may also be trial and error in terms of operation, such as how to use the accumulated location information. Start small and introduce beacons to accumulate know-how on system development and operation .