Technical discussion on iBeacon for IOS and Android. Current iBeacon vs BLE capabilities, privacy issues, how not to spam users and why customer segmentation matters. Lastly I quickly cover Geo-Conquesting. What is it and how iBeacons fit it.

1. iBeacons, Location,
Privacy, Segmentation
and User
Engagement.
!
Segment - don’t Spam
your App users

2. Meet Some iBeacons
Radius Networks
arduino based with
a BLE USB.
(developer kit)
Roximity key fob (US)
Also USB versions to
plug into POS I guess
Developer
Kontakt (Poland) Estimote (USA/Poland)
Simple to deploy, Simple to steal (?)
BlueCat (Aus & US)
TCO approach with power management
May be extensible

3. Some iMisconceptions…
iBeacons are an Apple Product
‣Its a protocol running over BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy Standard/Spec/Devices)
‣Its a Trademark of Apple that also defines product compliance (25th Feb 2014)

4. Some iMisconceptions…
iBeacons won’t work with Android
‣Remember: Its just a protocol….
‣You can implement yourself on top of http://developer.android.com/guide/topics
connectivity/bluetooth-le.html
‣You could use the Radius Networks SDK:
‣https://github.com/RadiusNetworks/android-ibeacon-service
‣we use FREE and PRO
‣You could wait for Google…..? (anyone?, anyone? Bueller?)
‣Others?

5. Some iMisconceptions…
iBeacons are stealing my privacy!
‣Generally No.
‣Most iBeacon devices are transmit only.
‣Some can detect/keep IDs and use it for monitoring dwell and flow.
‣Generally it will depend on the Apps on your phone/tablet/wearable and
whether you have opted-in (more on that later)

6. Some iMisconceptions…
iBeacons are under NSA control
‣Veggies es bonus vobis, proinde vos postulo essum magis kohlrabi
welsh onion daikon amaranth tatsoi tomatillo melon azuki bean
garlic.

7. and a clarification…
Your phone/tablet can be a beacon
(only via App functionality)
Whats happening
(Just a few) Use Cases
App register for OS
Finding Objects (inventory/filing)
call-backs to listen for Retail Info and Offers (triggered at store entry or in-aisle)
certain IDs
Dating/Social/Rendezvous applications
App emits an
iBeacon ID
Dating/Social/Rendezvous applications
Customer Service/Customer identification retail
Assume Apple is doing iBeacon/Fingerprint for purchases
iOS7 only at this stage - app must be foregrounded/screen on
(or roll-your own with CoreBlueTooth)
http://developer.radiusnetworks.com/2013/12/15/why-android-devices-cant-act-as-ibeacons.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2013/12/10/your-iphone-is-now-a-homing-beacon/

8. What matters to App Developers?
Proximity UUID
(think of this as the
Brand/App/Retailer)
Major ID
(think of this as the
Store/Venue)
Minor ID
(think of this as the
Aisle/Location)
All iBeacons ship with pre-programmed ID’s which you should be able
to re-program, via an App on Mobile or PC with Manufacturer tools

9. Privacy Considerations
Location Opt-in is required on iPhone
1. Bluetooth needs to be on
2. On iPhone you need to “opt-in” to location services for
the App
3. Generally your App is waiting for callbacks for predefined UUIDs
4. See this blog post: http://streethawk.com/blog/
2014/01/31/ibeacon-privacy-and-consumer-perceptions/

10. Privacy Considerations
No Opt-in required on Android
1. Bluetooth needs to be on
2. Generally your App is waiting for callbacks for predefined UUIDs. There is a wildcard in Radius SDK but it
returns nulls for “region” parameters (UUID/Major/
Minor).
3. Sniffing would need to implement at BLE level
4. Radius implementation polls from the App space. So
there is potentially more battery drain than iPhone.
1. polls every 30 seconds
2. PRO library has some battery saving

11. Spam Considerations
iBeacon providers think retailer
“walk in the shop” get a pop-up is cool.
1. Tom Cruise Minority Report is actually utopia (personalized)
2. spam popups is the dystopia we get.

12. Segment & Target
1. Know the user/customer
2. Segment according to their need:
1. loyalty status,
2. purchase behaviour
3. demographic

13. Simple Drag-and-Drop CampaignCreation without Developers
Campaign
Console

14. Simple Drop-in SDK - Powerful Cloud UI
1
2
3
4
-
Register on StreetHawk Cloud
Reserve your App Name
Invite Marketers
-
Drop-in Code Snippet
Add the App Name
-
Add Push Certificates to StreetHawk Cloud
-
Get Started with:
Reports
Campaigns
-

15. Last Bit of Fun
GEO-CONQUESTING
(opposite of show-rooming)
1. An Application hijacks the user by popping up a
message when shopper enters a competitors iBeacon
zone.
2. HOW?:
1. Use an Android App to sniff the Proximity UUIDs of
competitor iBeacons
2. Add those UUIDs into their own Customer App
3. Trigger on those iBeacons
4. Bingo!

16. Simple
Segmented Messaging
to your Mobile App Users
David Jones
www.streethawk.com
!
@djinoz