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Beacon Technology: What is it and what does it mean for you?

29 Oct 2014

If you read one of most recent articles on Buzzfeed then you are familiar with beacon technology how it has evolved and entered our lives. A beacon is a low-energy, usually hidden, device that is used to track people’s movements. It recognizes your location (whether it’s a store, a subway, etc.) and immediately emits a simple signal to your smartphone.

Beacons are often used in stores, so that shoppers can receive sales notifications, or in transportation areas, so that you can receive alerts about departures or arrivals.

But what does the future of this type of technology look like?

Beacon Technology

A beacon is a low-energy, usually hidden, device that is used to track people’s movements.

Sure, it might be nice to receive a notification that your flight is delayed at the airport, leaving you enough time to finish browsing a shop or sipping your drink at a bar. It may also be nice to walk into a store, try on a suit, and then seconds later receive a notification that it is on sale.

However, the spread of this type of technology to public spaces may also lead to questions about the legality and ethics of marketers and advertisers keeping tabs on you. Personalized commercialization goes to a new level when it literally has its eye on you. Not to mention, the personal information the technology can uncover, and use for or against you.

Currently, privacy is on the consumer’s side…for the time being. Usually users have to download specific applications in order to receive information from the beacons. There are also numerous other steps that involve turning on Blue-tooth, location-services, and notification opt-ins.

2015 is now considered the “year of the beacon.” Considered one of the biggest trends to come, consumers can expect an experimental phase by many advertising and marketing companies. Whether it’s through opt-in emails or text alerts, prepare to be bombarded by those in the industry who would like to give you a taste of the technology.

What do you think about Beacon technology?

 

By: ParadigmNext http://paradigmnext.com

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+ParadigmNextChicago

ParadigmNEXT, Inc. is a digital agency headquartered in Chicagoland. We provide branding, identity, integrated marketing, social media strategy, art direction, web-design & development, startup incubation, commercial video production, product development, and commercial storefront development services to a wide array of clients ranging from bootstrapped startups to successful longstanding companies.