Mixing Beacons and Nearables in the same project

1

Im at the stage now where i need to mixed the use of nearables and beacons into the same project. I know this can be done as I’ve seen it in the default iOS/Android application.

but what i’m interested in, is know if there are similarities to use the same methods for both technologies.

Ideally i want an app that can just detect what Estimote product is nearest. Ideally in one callback for both iOS and Android.

2

Thanks for the feedback!

The way I see it, Nearables and Beacons serve two different purposes:

  • Beacons are static, placed in points of interest (e.g., entrance, cash registers, etc.), and so detecting them in the app gives you an idea of where the user is.
  • Nearables are dynamic, placed on objects that can move, and so detecting them in the app gives you an idea of what’s nearby, is it moving, etc.

So, with beacons and nearables giving you completely different information (position vs objects), I’m trying to understand better why you would want to use a single callback for both of them? What kind of user experience are you trying to build?

(This is not to say that we don’t want to add such an option, but I’m trying to understand the context :wink:)

3

Say for example you want to delivery an experience when you are the only user in the environment but change it when people are near you. So it effects what action is performed.

Does this make any more sense?

4

Hi Mark,

Did anyone ever get you a response?

5

Hey Steve, with stickers firmware 1.3, you can now set them to broadcast a regular iBeacon packet, which you’ll be able to use the same iBeacon API (ranging & monitoring) to detect both stickers and beacons with a single callback.