Choosing the Best Location-Based Technology for Mobile Apps – GPS Vs Beacons Vs WiFi
- Mobile
- March 14, 2017
With an enhancement in deployment of mobile apps by almost all types of businesses, the need for location based services (LBS) is also increasing rapidly in developing techno-driven mobile apps.
The mobile app developed using the location-based technology offers your customers’ immediate access of any information related to your products or services.
Using the location based mobile app, you will have the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage to reach your target audience in close proximity, and enhances the possibilities of direct sale.
If you are looking for development of an innovative location based mobile app, you need to ensure about the different location based technology utilized in the app development process.
In order to gain the advantage of the latest technology, choosing the right location based technology, make your mobile app development worthwhile and growth-oriented.
In this blog, we have discussed about the different location based technologies popularly used in present times for getting mobile application development services.
It becomes necessary to select the right technology based on the precise need of your business in order to gain precise technology benefits.
Beacon – A Useful Location Based Technology used by developers for Indoor Business Environment
Nowadays, Beacon is popularly used small transmitter device useful to transmit a signal which is identified by devices having Bluetooth enable within a range. It utilizes Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Beacons are available in different shapes and formats such as small coin cell, USB sticks, etc.
It works with the latest version of the iPhone (4S and above) and Android (4.3 and above) phones. It triggers push notifications when visitors enter within a range of a beacon.
For tracking specific data of customers, beacon apps are popularly used by many shopping malls, restaurants, retail shops and more. Mobile app development using beacon technology is helpful for different industries such as Travel, Food, Entertainment, shopping hub, Automation, Health, Retail and many more.
Beacons allows you to send customized messages on-site in order to enhance shopping experience based on a certain criteria such as consumer’s shopping habits, preferences, location and other details.
It enables creating relevant and interactive messaging at the time of purchase helps customers to make their shopping pleasant and fast.
For a location-based push notification and power alerts, beacon apps become very useful. It has increased its reach from just retailer apps and started adopting by the small and large sized businesses, today.
Its benefits include low battery usage helps in extending battery life of the device, an ideal choice for context-aware messaging, offers accurate results for proximity detection, as well as work across different devices and platforms.
When you need to develop an app for indoor environment of your organization or shopping mall or hospital or retail hub, ibeacon app development becomes a better option for your business.
GPS – A Popular Location Based Technology used by developers for GPS-based App Development
Another location-based technology, GPS (Global Positioning System) is used to track a user’s location using the given search criteria. More than showing information about the location, date or time as well as providing driving direction, GPS based technology is useful in many ways.
Location based mobile app using GPS allows you to use your smartphone as a GPS tracking unit.
There are several benefits of this widespread technology as there are no constrain of range, and highly available. More than providing information of current location, it provides voice guidance to give driving instruction, know your location in real time, tracking device, and lots of more useful information. With precise search criteria, your GPS Mobile app delivers your customers complete information based on their search.
For transportation, travelling and cab services as well as other location-based services, GPS apps give businesses efficient outcomes with even improved customer services.
As GPS offers satellite tracking services, it is very useful for a gamut of personal and commercial applications. It is a good choice for outdoor environment and also where location/distance/traffic and other information require.
The disadvantage of this service is, it consumes more power, and hence the device needs frequent charging affects the battery life.
The next generation apps avail scope of Geo-location to give virtual tours. Businesses can gain advantages of GPS based app to proffer their customers virtual experience to navigate their products or services.
In the latest development of Apple’s iBeacon technology which is location sensing helps in offering unmatched advantages to shoppers and customers with unsurpassed possibilities. Using the geo-location technology in the right way, businesses can offer more efficient, quick, personalized and advanced services to their customers and gain profitable outcome for swift growth.
WiFi – An Efficient Location Based Technology Useful for Indoor Environment
WiFi is popularly used in offices, business centers, public places that enable users to connect to networks using some security measurements including username and passwords.
Based on the capability of network, it provides connectivity to its users. Including small and big industries, it becomes widely used by businesses to offer better services to customers. It does not require any app to use. All types of devices can utilize WiFi networking and becomes widely accessible.
It requires authentication prior to connect to the network as well as become not a good option for context-aware messaging. Mainly, it is useful for indoor environment as well as to share or utilize data on the different devices.
Conclusion
With an advancement of the location-based technology for mobile apps, it helps businesses not only in increasing growth and profits, but in terms of offering efficient, cost-effective and satisfactorily services to their customers.
Taking an advantage of next generation technology helps your business to explore new horizons with fresh opportunities and earn a good reputation with the financial stability.
Hire expert mobile app developers having experience to develop beacon apps or GPS app development in order to develop the right type of location based mobile app.
