Being a pioneer in iBeacon app development, Dex has always tried to provide best to its clients. Following the custom, we are bringing some insights on iBeacon technology straight from companies who live and breath iBeacons. To begin with here is a excerpt from our discussion with Wojtek Borowicz (@Esti_Wojtek), Community Evangelist at Estimote and what Estimote has in store for its customers Read more
The newest technology introduced by Apple Inc. called the iBeacon, is the new center of attraction for developers around the world especially in the United States.
Apple Inc. describes iBeacon as “a new class of low-powered, low-cost transmitters that can notify nearby iOS 7 devices of their presence.” This technology utilizes the Bluetooth installed in each Apple products and communicates with them directly.
The main function of iBeacon is to expand the technological capabilities of the retail industry. Point of sales (POS), product announcements, and product discounts are just some of the services iBeacon could offer.
iBeacon has been integrated into different establishments and businesses such as hospitals, universities, and hotels. Some restaurants have also integrated iBeacon into their system, hoping it would increase their sales and attract the attention of potential customers.
A concept was launched by two-man hack team Ray Ho and Mark Watson at the 2014 Tech Crunch Disrupt SF hackatahon, which is integrated into the restaurant’s software Clover and will improve the experience of customers waiting on tables.
Ray Ho and Mark Watson embedded iBeacons into every table in the restaurant so that they can monitor the activity of each customer in the table such as ordering food. The problem of constantly checking the customers for their orders will decrease and staffs such as waiters will have more time for other things such as cleaning tables.
Customers will have the option of knowing the available tables via the SmartTable application, before coming to the restaurant. How convenient it may seems, this does not demote human interaction as customers can still order through the cashier, knowing that their order is being processed.
Another advantage of iBeacons in restaurants is that customers can check their bills at any point before paying. They can check how many appetizers they have eaten and how much all those appetizers cost. Now that’s a convenient thing to have especially for those with awkward social skills.
In Germany, a restaurant has produced another innovative way using iBeacons which track the dining habits of their customers. Christian Mook, owner of the Mook Group that has five restaurants, utilizes iBeacon to record his customers’ habits such their favorite food to order up to their favorite table to occupy.
Customers need to download their application to avail the technology. Not only does this setup benefits the Mook Group, customers will earn rewards by using the application, by ordering foods in any of their restaurants, or just by hanging out in one of their restaurants. Customers will also earn points that can be used for special services and trade for rewards.
This move by the Mook Group was devised to improve quality service for the customers.
iBeacon has been the stepping stone of developers to improve the quality of life and improve the technological experience of many businesses and establishments. Since its release, it has gained popularity and the amount of work invested by different people to reveal all of its potential is massive. It just been a year since the release of iBeacon but the way iBeacon changed the experience of many people is forever treasured.
Technological advances in the area of electronic devices are this millennium’s greatest investment. Smartphones, tablets, notebooks, laptops, personal computers are just some of the devices that have received major overhaul and improvement. An application has been the major selling point of different electronic devices, so far as developing an application that would be the next big thing in the area of technological advancement.
These five important things should be considered when developing an application.
1) Platform
There are many different platforms available to choose from when developing an application. Mobile platforms (Android, iOS, Windows), desktop platforms (Windows, Linux, Mac), and web applications are just some of the platforms to choose from. Typically, an application that runs in all or most platforms would be the most ideal scenario but it takes a huge amount of time and dedication and is not an easy task. A single platform allows you to develop the application accurately and efficiently.
2) Testing
A newly developed application needs to be tested before a commercial version is released. There are three stages in testing: alpha, closed-beta, and open-beta. Each stage consist mostly of testers trying out the application from its early stage of development, discovering bugs and glitches, suggesting further contents and features, and giving feedback. Testing ensure that the application runs smoothly and properly and all known bugs and glitches are fixed.
3) Target audience
The intended target audience for an application should always be all age group with access to the applications’ platforms. But not all applications are intended for all age group and not all people have access to certain platforms. To ensure that the application will expand into different areas, targeting nearby audiences like your city or your country should be the first target.
4) Support
The more people know and use the application, the more popular and attention the application gets. The contents and interface of the application should be improved as new versions of the application are released. Consumers will want to have new and added features and the compatibility of the application should be expanded into other and all platforms.
5) Price
Developing an application does not mean it is a business venture. Some developed an application to help fellow consumers and made it free but some developed for profits. If that’s the case, pricing the application requires systematic analysis and considerable insights around the target audience. If the price of the application is expensive, consumers will think twice before buying it which leads to limited growth and expansion of the application.
Considering there are many applications that have been created, developing an application is a challenge many developers are still seeing through.
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