Core of Internet of Things
Beacon, which is a short-distance location tracking technology, is emerging in the IT sector as a state-of-the-art advancement. Although the method was not recently developed, it started to receive a lot of attention when Apple revealed iBeacon last year, together with its new operating system iOS7. Beacon can detect signals up to 50 meters away using ultra-low-power Bluetooth 4.0. Near-field communication (NFC) can be utilized by directly tagging objects, but data can also be transmitted when people are passing by places on which Beacon transmitters are installed.
According to industry sources on July 30, Beacon is drawing a lot of attention in the online-to-offline market.
When a person that has a mobile device enters the signaling area of Beacon, transmitters deliver the signal to the application installed on the device. The app identifies the location of the person based on Bluetooth technology. In this way, when a customer comes near the store with Beacon terminals, information about products in the store is automatically offered to the person through a related app. Therefore, the method is expected to contribute to the revitalization of mobile payments. The prime example is a USB stick that powers hands-free checkout unveiled by PayPal. By using Bluetooth LE, customers can use the PayPal app by voice when making payments or engaging in transactions. And they can receive the results via e-mail.
SK Telecom also entered the market by showcasing four kinds of Beacon applications. The mobile carrier is providing information services to Seoul National University Bundang Hospital by installing 200 terminals.
Small and medium-sized enterprises are also trying to penetrate the market. Perples, a sound wave communications provider, is actively seeking to develop a more stable and secure software development kit through its RECO iBeacon business. Quintet systems, a CRM software vendor, released its Beacon solution called, “Infavor Beacon Manager.” The industry thinks that Beacon will become the core of the Internet of Things (IoT) industry soon by syncing with wearable devices like smart watches.
However, issues of security and the possibility of excessive spam messages should be addressed to facilitate the use of Beacon. An industry source remarked, “It is crucial to develop technology to beef up the security of Beacon, since services are expected to be upgraded in the future through mobile payments.” The source concluded by saying, “We are trying very hard to strengthen the security of Beacon using a technique where Beacon blocks the duplication of signals.”