Glossary A–ZLetter B
Beacon
A beacon is a small radio transmitter that regularly broadcasts an identifier via Bluetooth Low Energy, which a nearby smartphone can recognise.
The beacon itself receives nothing and stores nothing. The identifier is evaluated on the smartphone.
In retail or museums, an app can react to the signal, for example with a note about the product on the shelf or an explanation of an exhibit. Combined with a screen, this can offer matching content on the phone while an offer plays on the display. The range depends on transmitting power and surroundings and runs from a few centimetres to several metres.
A common misunderstanding: a beacon does not, on its own, record who walks past. For anything to happen, it needs an app that knows the signal, Bluetooth switched on and the user’s consent. Without these conditions the effect remains small. Battery-powered beacons also need new batteries regularly, which means effort across many locations.