Pointr Shares Insight Into Bluetooth
Location Services Trends We Could
See in 2024

Pointr – an indoor location services provider that specializes in mapping, positioning, and wayfinding – develops solutions that support some of the largest indoor mapping deployments. Using AI-based maps and scalable indoor location technology, Pointr interactive maps, intuitive wayfinding systems, and accurate blue dot positioning solutions have enhanced operational processes for retail, aviation, healthcare, hospitality, and workplaces around the globe.

I recently had an opportunity to speak with Jamie Cracknell, operations lead at Pointr, about recent and upcoming Bluetooth^® Location Services trends.

Q&A With Jamie Cracknell From Pointr

What 2023 Bluetooth technology trends most stick out to you, and what impacts did these trends have on the market?

We’ve seen a lot of interest from retailers to solve product location challenges inside their stores. As one retailer recently put it, “Sometimes a customer buys a blue T-shirt online and wants to pick it up in-store. As a store manager, I don’t know where the T-shirt is, and we’ve got an hour or less to find it. The customer can see that the shirt is available via the web or app, but we don’t know where it is.”

As retailers continue to use physical retail stores as fulfillment centers for their online orders, store managers and employees need to know where their stock can be located at all times. Additionally, shoppers want the ability to search for products in store without friction.

Using Pointr maps and Bluetooth^® enabled location technology, retailers and shoppers can locate any product in store. By incorporating aisle and bin information into the product points of interest (PoI) on the map and by using turn-by-turn navigation from Pointr, users can select a product to navigate to the right aisle and bin.

Additionally, we see a lot of potential in using electronic shelf labeling (ESL) to solve in-store product location. These labels not only drastically reduce the time spent by store associates on manual price updates (thanks to their e-ink technology that allows remote updates) but also can be used as Bluetooth beacons and, when integrated with Pointr technology, for precise wayfinding to specific products.

What new Bluetooth trends can we expect to see in 2024?

The landscape of Bluetooth^® technology in 2024 appears promising with a focus on ultra-low energy, innovative applications such as photovoltaic beacons, and the exploration of concepts like power over distance and virtual Bluetooth Low Energy (LE).

Ultra-Low Energy: In 2024, we expect to see an increased focus on ultra-low energy, addressing the demand for extended battery life in Bluetooth beacons. This year, we have seen a rapid evolution in firmware and hardware, particularly in optimizing battery consumption. The quality of Bluetooth beacons is improving, with new materials and a more efficient use of Bluetooth protocols, showcasing collaborative efforts between the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) and manufacturers.

Photovoltaic Beacons: Photovoltaic beacons (PV) are beacons that are powered by artificial lights. They’re similar to solar panels, but they can be deployed in buildings with artificial, constant lighting, such as airports and retail stores. They need very little maintenance, as the battery doesn’t need to be replaced, and we expect to see more of those being deployed in 2024.

Power Over Distance: This year, we’ve seen greater interest in the development of battery-free Bluetooth LE beacons that are powered wirelessly. While these are not currently viable for location services, we’ll watch innovations in this field with great interest in 2024.

Virtual Bluetooth LE: This emerging technology refers to the concept that a single access point or device can simulate the behavior of multiple Bluetooth LE beacons. The idea is to create a virtual representation of beacon signals at predefined locations, allowing applications and systems to interpret these signals as if they were coming from physical beacons. However, it’s important to note that while the concept is intriguing, its practical implementation is still a work in progress.