Facebook launches location-based services based on beacons

Facebook recently added a "Tips" feature to its iphone app, which displays a series of card information about the location based on the user's real-time location. Also, if your friend has ever shared a picture or post here, it will be displayed. Facebook once launched a similar nearby function two years ago, but it did not seem to threaten Yelp and Foursquare for some time.

This time, in order to make the positioning more accurate, Facebook will soon test the beacons (close proximity to the ibeacon Bluetooth technology) technology, and then pilot some small businesses in New York, such as bakeries, bookstores and restaurants and so on.

Currently, Facebook's methods for identifying user locations include cellular networks, WiFi, and GPS. It is now covered by New York Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square and JFK airport. Eventually Facebook plans to convert these locations to beacons positioning.

Facebook does not say how this feature will be profitable in the future, just that it wants to make sure that it makes the user feel valuable. And the opening of this function requires access to the user's permission, if you want to turn off can be set at any time. But it is not difficult to guess, this feature allows users to close to a merchant, you can immediately get the relevant information, which profit space is very large. Merchants also believe that this feature can help businesses better understand users and their needs, and help them improve their services.