1. Everything you always wanted to
know about Beacons...
...but were afraid to ask

2. Pg 2
A beacon is a small device that uses a type of radio signal (Bluetooth Low Energy)
to repeatedly announce its presence to anybody in the area that cares to listen.
They don’t receive anything, they just send out their little signal over and over
again so that people know they’re there.
A basic beacon packet comprises a UUID, a major and minor as well as a transmission strength
indicator. These aspects allow the detecting device to identify exactly which beacon they’re detecting,
and approximately how far away it is.
What is a Beacon?
Think of a beacon like a
miniature lighthouse.

3. Pg 3
So they aren’t actually
sending me things or
collecting data from me?
No! Apart from sending out their identifying
information they are completely passive.
Your smartphone does all the heavy lifting, controlled
by whichever application you have installed that
recognises that particular beacon.

4. Why is that useful?
Anybody around with the right kind of device (almost all
modern smart phones) can detect these beacons and be
given tailored messages or experiences that are relevant
to them and their location.
A Business Insider report
projected that beacons
will directly influence
$4 billion in sales at top
retailers in 2015. That
number is expected to
increase tenfold to about
$44 billion in 2016.
Pg 4

5. What kind of things
can I do with beacons?
Identification
You can deliver content to customers in an incredibly precise fashion.
Research shows that while consumers are generally put off by mobile adverts, they are actually
positive to them as long as the advert is relevant to their time and place. That’s exactly what
beacons enable.
Wayfinding
Have you ever noticed how GPS doesn’t work indoors? You can use carefully positioned beacons
so that anybody with a smartphone can find their way around with ease. You can guide customers
to the product they’re looking for or help them find the bathroom.
Payments
Beacons can enable your customers to pay for products on their smartphones through a digital
wallet. The process is almost the same as completing a check-out in regular e-commerce and
could be a crucial way of engaging with millennials who are used to shopping on-line.
Pg 5

6. Are any big companies
already using beacons?
Yes! Apple in their Apple Stores, Macy’s in a nationwide roll-out of more than
4000 beacons, Virgin Atlantic in airports and even Major League Baseball have
all completed successful pilots and deployed live beacon
projects to their customers.
Major League Baseball
mobile check-ins more
than doubled during the
season in which they first
began using beacons.
Pg 6

7. What’s the difference between
a beacon and an iBeacon?
iBeacon is Apple’s attempt to standardise how beacons work with their
products; it’s a description of how the messages that beacons send out
need to look in order to work with Apple products and not actually the
devices themselves, although people will call them that. The important thing
is that whether something is referred to as an iBeacon or a beacon, it works
the same way and all types of devices can work with them. You don’t need to
install two types of beacon to work with two types of smartphone.
iBeacon is technically a packet layout for
beacon transmissions that’s owned by
Apple. There are other packet formats,
notably Eddystone developed by Google.
Pg 7
Eddystone is the name of a lighthouse in Devon, UK.

8. How long do they last?
Beacons were designed (using Bluetooth Low Energy), specifically in order that
they don’t consume a lot of power.
They can operate in different modes, depending on how far you need them to
send their signal, but if you are careful with your settings and you don’t need to
broadcast past a few metres, your beacons will have power for up to 2 years.
Pg 8

9. Are they secure?
Based on the fact that the beacons themselves are just
sending out regular identifying messages, they can be
considered very secure.
The risks become greater when payments are involved, but
the security implications are related to the smartphones and
their users, not the actual beacons.
Pg 9

10. Next instalment
The next instalment in our series
will be arriving in February 2016…
Everything you always wanted to know about Alternative Payments.
This will include information about Apple Pay, so keep a look out!
Pg 10

11. About us
We live in remarkable times. A new
generation of makers, innovators
and creative thinkers are disrupting
in markets that were believed to be
well-established. Consumers don’t
just want but expect a seamless,
engaging experience delivered
to them across channels at their
convenience. How can you stop your
customers slipping away?
Get better connected.
GWD connects brands with people.
We draw on our experience of
connected device projects for huge
international organisations to help
you deliver a true omni-channel
strategy. We’ll provide you with
the inspiring ideas and solutions
you need to ensure your different
channels complement, not compete
with each other.
Pg 11

12. Contact Us
Sheffield Technology Parks,
Arundel Street
Sheffield
S1 2NS
United Kingdom
O+44 (0)114 221 2004
mconnect@gwdevices.com
www.gwdevices.com