Zebra expands Internet of Things platform

LINCOLNSHIRE, USA: Zebra Technologies Corp., a leader in products and solutions that provide real-time visibility into organizations' assets, people and transactions, today announced the expansion of Zatar, Zebra's cloud-based Internet of Things (IoT) platform, to support location services based on iBeacon technology.

At the National Retail Federation's (NRF) 103rd Annual Convention beginning on January 13, 2014, Zebra will exhibit how Zatar and iBeacon technology can enable personalized advertising in retail stores and other venues. Featured at booth #1419, the latest additions to Zatar will demonstrate Zebra's commitment to providing the building blocks for the Internet of Things.

iBeacon is a new technology from Apple® that extends location services by recognizing the presence of iOS and other devices. According to an estimate from Creative Strategies analyst Ben Bajarin, there are already 170-190 million Apple iOS devices, as well as a growing number of Android devices, supporting the iBeacon technology.

Zebra, already a leader in location solutions, will be hosting a live demonstration at NRF of ways iBeacon can communicate with Zatar by sharing a consumer's location with a third-party display application, thereby allowing retailers to more effectively deliver customized messaging and deals to the shopper.

"The Zatar platform provides the capability to integrate iBeacon-based location services and in-store displays to deliver personalized messaging to consumers," said Phil Gerskovich, senior vice president of New Growth Platforms for Zebra Technologies. "As iBeacon technology becomes more widely deployed, retailers will have an immediate opportunity to transform consumer shopping experiences by integrating location services and display messaging in their stores with minimal investment."

The increased use of cloud computing and the ubiquity of wireless networks have made connecting devices and sensors more cost-efficient. These developments have fueled the rapid growth of the Internet of Things and the race to connect devices and sensors that can be remotely monitored, managed and mined for valuable data.

An IoT application can easily take advantage of the Zatar platform to enhance the customer experience while improving a company's operations. The owner of a retail store, for instance, can use Zatar to quickly and easily setup an iBeacon and personalized messaging application. Taking it one step further, the retailer can offer a value-added experience for their customers by knowing the customer's proximity to products and offering the shopper coupons or discounts in real time.