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Early Experiences with Apple Retail Store iBeacon Technology Prove Mixed

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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apple_store_app_ibeacon.jpg
Earlier today, Apple launched its "iBeacon" initiative in its U.S. retail stores, allowing users of the company's iPhone app to opt in to receiving location-specific notifications and access to other information while browsing in the stores.

Following the announcement of the new system, ISI analyst Brian Marshall headed over to Apple's Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan for a first-hand look, and he came away with a "mixed-to-slightly negative" impression, failing to meet his expectations.

While the system conveniently notified Marshall while he was browsing accessories that he could use the EasyPay self-checkout feature of the iPhone app to automatically charge products up to $200 to his iTunes Store account, Marshall criticized several other aspects of Apple's iBeacon implementation.
We believe iBeacon will become an attractive marketing/sales tool over time, but were somewhat disappointed by the lack of functionality and customer experience on Day 1. Just as the company did with point-of-sale (PoS) purchase systems using iPhone/iPad in the past, AAPL will likely use its own stores to showcase the benefits/possibilities of the new technology going forward.
Click to expand...
Among Marshall's specific complaints:

- Multiple identical notifications: When browsing iPhones in the store, a notification popped up offering to check upgrade eligibility. After checking his upgrade and trade-in situation, Marshall returned to browsing iPhones and a few minutes later the same upgrade notification popped up on his iPhone.

- Incomplete coverage: Marshall received no notifications for iPad or Mac products when standing at those stations, although he did receive additional iPhone upgrade eligibility notifications while browsing iPad and Mac.

Marshall also apparently hoped that the system would be used to offer special deals or promotions, but no such notifications were offered. As many customers already know, however, Apple's in-store deals are fairly rare and outside of special events like Black Friday are typically limited to third-party products such as printers.

With Apple's implementation of iBeacon only just now rolling out, there are certainly opportunities for improvements in the future, but some users may find themselves underwhelmed with the initial experience.


Article Link: Early Experiences with Apple Retail Store iBeacon Technology Prove Mixed
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/12/06/early-experiences-with-apple-retail-store-ibeacon-technology-prove-mixed/
Last edited:
BC2009

BC2009

macrumors 68020
Jul 1, 2009
2,237
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That initial experience does sound kinda underwhelming. Let's hope it gets better since Apple really should be showcasing what can be done. Though it is hard to showcase location-specific deals or offers when Apple Store hardly ever runs special offers.
 
eiuro

eiuro

macrumors member
Feb 28, 2013
63
34
Nothing works perfectly on the first day of rolling it out especially so early in the day. This guys seems to want some attention. Over time iBeacons will work well.
 
Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,124
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eiuro said:
Nothing works perfectly on the first day of rolling it out especially so early in the day. This guys seems to want some attention. Over time iBeacons will work well.
Click to expand...

Didn't take long for it to make front page news here so I guess it worked.
 
Jack Delgado

Jack Delgado

macrumors regular
May 11, 2012
138
347
So what you're telling me is that in the event this kind of technology catches on, you physically won't even be able to run away from pop-ups.

Magical.
 
R

rickdollar

macrumors 6502
Mar 12, 2007
473
24
You can buy something up to $200 with your iTunes account?
So if you buy iTunes gift cards at 20% off available at various retailers from time to time, you get 20% off your purchase.
That part sounds good to me.
 
M

madsci954

macrumors 68030
Oct 14, 2011
2,725
658
Ohio
So because one anal-yist had a bad experience in one store, on day one, it's immediately a bad product? I mean, just what were his expectations for it?
 
M

macchiato2009

macrumors 65816
Aug 14, 2009
1,258
1
this reminds of the iQueue system they tried to use during less than a year

it was such a pain in the a.s.s

managers forcing all employees to have an easypay and respond to iqueue signal within seconds... :mad:
 
Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,124
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madsci954 said:
So because one anal-yist had a bad experience in one store, on day one, it's immediately a bad product? I mean, just what were his expectations for it?
Click to expand...

I'm curious exactly what "deals" he was expecting to pop up on his phone in an Apple store.
 
dumastudetto

dumastudetto

macrumors 603
Aug 28, 2013
5,016
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Los Angeles, USA
A few teething problems but these are exactly the kind of shopping experiences consumers want. And only Apple can deliver these experiences by controlling the hardware, software and the stores. Nobody else can do this.
 
P

proline

macrumors 6502a
Nov 18, 2012
630
1
Obviously it will take time to figure out how to use ibeacon effectively. However, this author's vision- that it should constantly spam you with special offer notifications (advertising) for every single product line as you walk around is seriously flawed. I want it to be used for navigation (to help me find things on my list that I actually want) as well as contextual information that I can CHOOSE to access (in the app, not by notifications). I don't think Apple is doing this right either, with their multiple upgrade notifications and such, but what the author seems to want would be even worse.
 
Nicky G

Nicky G

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Mar 24, 2002
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I think it's a fair review, and I'm a huge fan of iBeacon and Bluetooth LE in general. They have some quirks to work out. Duplicated pop-ups IS annoying. And I'm sure functionality will expand over time, and get better, this is DAY ONE after all. I'm excited to try it out next time I'm at an Apple Store though!
 
M

mknopp

macrumors member
Jan 27, 2010
31
0
madsci954 said:
So because one anal-yist had a bad experience in one store, on day one, it's immediately a bad product? I mean, just what were his expectations for it?
Click to expand...

The article made clear a few of his expectations. The expectation of deals and discounts was just stupid.

However, anyone would expect to not be bombarded by the same pop-up time after time. I work in R&D. I know that no system is perfect and that you cannot account for every situation, but this isn't just a little thing. It seems to be a rather obvious point of failure for the system that should have been torture tested. Repeat acceptance/interference in a broadcast system, real or virtual, is a well known issue.

I hate to say this, but this is just another example of Apple's seemingly failing quality control department. This should have been tested and tested and tested. Instead, like too many of their products and service now a days they don't seem to test at all and release half-done products that they then try to fix in the field.

I can remember a time with Apple and its buyers derided firms like Google and Microsoft for this very thing. Now, Apple is joining them. Not a good thing for Apple at all.
 
edolecki

edolecki

macrumors member
Mar 16, 2009
94
267
Boston, MA
Speed of detection

I am most curious about how quickly the app recognizes an iBeacon.

In my own iOS 7 tests using my own devices, I found ranging was sometimes slow to register as averages seem to constantly be taking place. Meaning I could be standing on top of a beacon and it might take 5-10 seconds before it's recognized as being close enough and to fire a notification/custom UI based upon that beacon's broadcast information.

If the response time is quick - then I think it's a huge win. If it's slow, one could lose an opportunity to drive home to users that the technology is accurate and robust.
 
P

proline

macrumors 6502a
Nov 18, 2012
630
1
BC2009 said:
That initial experience does sound kinda underwhelming. Let's hope it gets better since Apple really should be showcasing what can be done. Though it is hard to showcase location-specific deals or offers when Apple Store hardly ever runs special offers.
Click to expand...
You got it right in your second sentence, dead wrong in your first- the Apple store is NOT the place where ibeacon will reach its potential. Ibeacon will be good for navigation (Apple stores are too small to need that for the most part), contextual product info (Apple stores have iPads that already do this well), and analytics (tracking traffic patterns and such- Apple has no need for this either). The business of using it to spam popups is probably the worst possible use for it- that will probably be big off the start and then get reigned in as users react by deleting the offending store's whole app.
 
Parasprite

Parasprite

macrumors 68000
Mar 5, 2013
1,698
144
rickdollar said:
You can buy something up to $200 with your iTunes account?
So if you buy iTunes gift cards at 20% off available at various retailers from time to time, you get 20% off your purchase.
That part sounds good to me.
Click to expand...

You can also do that by shopping online, which may or may not also save you sales tax.

But really what's the fun in that; I'd rather go to an Apple Store! :D
 
M

madsci954

macrumors 68030
Oct 14, 2011
2,725
658
Ohio
mknopp said:
The article made clear a few of his expectations. The expectation of deals and discounts was just stupid.

However, anyone would expect to not be bombarded by the same pop-up time after time. I work in R&D. I know that no system is perfect and that you cannot account for every situation, but this isn't just a little thing. It seems to be a rather obvious point of failure for the system that should have been torture tested. Repeat acceptance/interference in a broadcast system, real or virtual, is a well known issue.

I hate to say this, but this is just another example of Apple's seemingly failing quality control department. This should have been tested and tested and tested. Instead, like too many of their products and service now a days they don't seem to test at all and release half-done products that they then try to fix in the field.

I can remember a time with Apple and its buyers derided firms like Google and Microsoft for this very thing. Now, Apple is joining them. Not a good thing for Apple at all.
Click to expand...

Far point, but I too work in R&D and I can't shake the fact that this is ONE analysist in ONE apple store on day ONE. There isn't enough data for a report IMO. You can have a trillion dollars in R&D and there will still be launch hiccups, it's bound to happen.

What if the repeat notifications were limited to this store only? What if the analysit's phone was gliching? Again, it's one person from one store that bothers me about this article.
 
N

nzalog

macrumors 6502
Jul 25, 2012
274
2
What does all this crap have to do with iBacon? Seriously you guys are ruining the magic of bacon with all this talking. :mad:
 
G

GQB

macrumors 65816
Sep 26, 2007
1,196
109
eiuro said:
Nothing works perfectly on the first day of rolling it out especially so early in the day. This guys seems to want some attention. Over time iBeacons will work well.
Click to expand...

It isn't perfect on day 1! CLOSE IT DOWN!
(Oh yeah, that only applies to Obamacare site.)
 
B

Boatboy24

macrumors 65816
Nov 4, 2011
1,092
1,224
1 Infinite Loop
"We believe iBeacon will become an attractive marketing/sales tool over time"

Who is "we"? I didn't realize he brought a team of testers with him.
 
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