Apple's iBeacon technology allows for low-powered transmitters to recognize nearby devices and push localized information. This is useful for retailers or business owners wanting to reach out to customers to push sales and product information. Various third party manufacturers have built iBeacon devices but it looks like Apple is stepping in and looking to create their own line of iBeacon optimized hardware. An FCC application revealed Apple might be considering its own iBeacon devices and while there's no indication this will be made available to to the consumer market, some analysts are seeing the potential of using iBeacons for the connected home via Apple's HomeKit which is their framework for controlling and communicating with connected devices. iBeacon has been kept generally under wraps even if the use of these devices is becoming widespread.
Retailers like Best Buy, Crate & Barrel, JCPenney, Old Navy, Sports Authority, Target and others are said to be testing the implementation of iBeacons, which are optimized for iPhones but will also work with other smartphones, albeit in a limited capacity.
Source: Appleinsider
Sunday, July 13, 2014 at 8:14PM 
