Estimote Beacons and Stickers do not deliver content on their own. BLE standard allows only for small data packets to be transmitted over Bluetooth. Depending on beacon protocol, payload can include:
- beacon ID (Estimote Monitoring, iBeacon, Eddystone, Nearable protocols)
- Measured Power (Estimote Monitoring, iBeacon, Eddystone, Nearable)
- sensor data (Eddystone, Nearable)
- battery level and telemetry data (Eddystone, Nearable)
- URL address (Eddystone)
(EDIT: With Google discontinuing Nearby Notifications starting on December 6th, 2018, users will no longer be able to receive notifications through Eddystone-URL.)
It’s not possible to include additional data in the payload or to flash a beacon with a firmware allowing for broadcasting a custom data packet.
So, I need an app, right?
Yes. It’s an app that detects beacons in proximity. It understands which beacons it’s ‘hearing’, it can approximate distance, and it can read the embedded URL and sensor/telemetry data. This allows for a myriad of interactions, from contextual offers to contactless payments, to indoor location.
To interact with beacons, an app needs to use Estimote SDK, Apple’s Core Location, or Google’s Proximity API.
Depending on the desired action, the app has to be active, can be running in the background, or can be killed entirely.
How do I create my first app fast?
Go to the Estimote Cloud/Apps and download and pre-integrated app template to quickly build a prototype.
Are there any ready apps I can integrate with?
Sure thing! There are platforms in different verticals that use beacons, so you don’t need to build your app from scratch. Some of them include:
- Cuseum (museums)
- Wisely (restaurants)
- GuestDriven (hotels)
- CrowdCompass (events)
- Robin (office)
- Beecon (home automation)
There are also Apple and Google services that natively support beacons:
- Apple Wallet (formerly Apple Passbook)
- Google Chrome
I want to build an app but I’m not a developer
You can use one of the existing CMS tools to create your app without being an expert programmer.
Tools to explore:
You can also find developers to help you with your project on Estimote Community Forums. Post here!