Best of Beacons this Week: Google’s New Chrome Release Lowers Hurdle For Beacons Adaptation and more

UPDATE: Chrome removes Physical Web support on iOS and Android

We are back with our latest roundup of must-read posts on beacons. This week we will cover an array of topics, from how Google’s new Chrome notifications lowers the hurdle for beacon adaptation to how beacons will revolutionize search in 2020. Have a look at our picks below:

1. Google’s New Chrome Release Lowers Hurdle For Beacons Adaptation

With the recent release of Chrome notifications, Google may have just changed the game for all those brands looking to leverage beacons, by embedding the capability of real-time push notifications in the Chrome browser. This powerful tool can help web developers push live site specific information to users through their mobile devices. These push notifications are a perfect fit for sites that feature real-time information such as news posts, messaging, and status updates. Being a server-side notification service, this will help users stay updated without having to check a website several times throughout the day. Check out this post to learn more about how Google’s new Chrome release lowers the hurdle for beacon adoption by removing need for a dedicated app to leverage beacons.

2. The Beacon Trajectory: More Money, Uses, Numbers, Features

According to recent study conducted by IHL Group for Earthlink and AirTight, larger and smaller retailers are predicted to see significant beacon growth this year, with those in the middle catching up by the end of next year. So much so that, 37% of large retailers plan to deploy beacons this year, reported the study. In fact, beacons have become so popular that they have now even started to expand into various new territories. From vast deployments at sports arenas to beacons that send push notifications to Apple Watches at Marsh Supermarkets, beacons seem to have touched almost every industry. Check out this post to learn more about the way ahead for the beacon industry.

3. 6 Ways Beacons can make your Daily Commute Easier

Over several decades, various kinds of technology have enabled transport providers to provide users with an enhanced travel experience. Although these advances have created a better experience for users all over, we are still at an early stage in terms of possible innovations within this industry, especially with the advent of beacons. Check out this post to learn how beacons can help public transport systems offer enhanced travel experiences by verifying rail tickets, minimizing road accidents, conveying parking information via beacon-equipped parking signs and more.

4. Beacons to Revolutionize Search in 2020

While GPS revolutionized outdoor positioning, it doesn’t work that well indoors as GPS signals tend to attenuate and scatter by roofs and walls. Beacons, on the other hand, are excellent at pinpointing location indoors and according to many experts hold great potential as a technology that could revolutionize search, allowing users to do contextual searches based on their current location. However, one of the primary barriers preventing consumers from using beacons for search, is the fact that most beacons are one-way messaging systems. Ubudu recently released a platform that is set out to change this by enabling beacons to be used as both a listening and sending device. Check out this post to learn how beacons can revolutionize searches in the future.

If you are planning a beacon pilot, take a look at Beaconstac, that includes everything you need to get started. Using Beaconstac you can set up your own campaign, without a developer’s help!

Image Courtesy: sixteen-nine.net