Apple has formalized its standards for iBeacon, specifying the required specs for devices and apps with the Bluetooth tracking technology to be added to the ranks of other "Made for iPhone" (MFi) devices.
In short that means that future iBeacon products and services will carry the MFi stamp of approval and will be guaranteed to be up to Apple's standards.
iBeacon is a technology new to iOS 7 that lets iOS devices communicate among themselves via Bluetooth signals.
Apple began using iBeacon in December 2013 to track users in its retail stores and offer them alerts and notifications.
Paving the way
Other companies have already begun using iBeacon for their own uses, and Apple is no doubt hoping adoption will spread even further.
The feature is a perfect way for iOS devices to communicate with one another, provided they have Bluetooth capabilities.
That's led to speculation that Apple could be pushing iBeacon forward in order to pave the way for the iWatch, which could potentially take advantage of the tech.
If we learned anything from Samsung's Unpacked keynote at MWC 2014, it's that wearable tech is not going anywhere, and it would be very surprising if Apple let this trend pass it by.
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Via Engadget
