Experiences with iBeacon Sam Jarman - iOS Developer - Carnival Mobile 

What is an iBeacon? • Low Powered, Low Cost transmitter • Small, BTLE Enable Chip • Battery powered 

What are they good for? • “Microlocation” • Relative locations • Check-Ins • Push Notifications • Spatially aware content 

iBeacon API Overview • You define regions (UUID, Major, Minor) • You monitor regions (iOS does this in the background) • Once region has been detected, you can start ranging beacons • Beacon updates occur every second 

iBeacon with Carnival • A few steps: • Detect Beacon • Set Up Tags or Custom Attributes • Set up audiences based on those tags • Trigger messages based on entering/exiting audience 

Demo 

Problems 

UUIDs • Beacon has a UUID • Also has a Major Number • and a Minor Number • The combination is actually what makes them unique 

Attenuation • People • Walls • Desks • Plants • Seems to be mitigated with more powerful beacons 

Background Processes • Have to be synchronous • Have to be on the one thread provided to you by OS 

Conclusion • Good fun • Nice API provided by CLLocation • SKDs are out there for commercial stuff • Easy tie in with systems like Carnival or your own • Very cool possibilities 

Thanks! Questions? Sam Jarman | iOS Developer | Carnival Mobile
 @samjarman