Category: SoC

Which Beacons are the Most Compatible?

We get asked a lot which beacons are the most compatible. All beacons, whether iBeacon or Eddystone, are compatible with iOS and Android. There are a few ‘tracker’ type Bluetooth devices around that don’t transmit the right Bluetooth header and can’t be seen on iOS but we don’t sell those.

Almost all beacons are slight derivations of a few standard circuit designs and firmware provided by Texas Instruments, Dialog and Nordic who produce the System On a Chip (SoC) inside beacons. Hence, they all transmit to Bluetooth standards.

Use of standard SoC Chip and firmware libraries ensures Bluetooth compatibility

The main factor that can vary between beacons is the antenna and PCB layout, which can result in different radiation patterns. This does not affect the ability to detect a beacon, but it does influence the signal strength and stability, which in turn can affect range.

Beacons generally do not differ in terms of compatibility. The main differences are physical characteristics such as battery size and waterproofing, which are listed as categories on the left-hand side of our store.

A common misconception is that problems arise from beacon compatibility, when in fact they are more often related to phone compatibility. Over time, we have found that around five per cent of customers experience issues connecting the manufacturer’s configuration app to beacons, more so on Android devices. To clarify, this only applies when apps need to connect to a beacon in order to change its settings, not when simply scanning for beacons. For most end users, once a beacon is set up, this does not present a problem.

In short, Bluetooth standards ensure that all beacons can be detected by all phones, so compatibility is not an issue. The problems we have encountered have been linked to smartphones rather than the beacons themselves and we have never had a beacon returned to us on the grounds of incompatibility.

Can Beacons Store Data?

Beacons don’t generally need to store data because they are just sending out their unique id. However, sensor beacons do sense values over time that you might want to collect later via, for example, an app coming close to the beacon. Specialist devices such as social distancing beacons need to store close contacts for later collection.

It is a misconception that beacons send data directly to smartphones when they come into proximity. In reality, beacons only transmit a small identifier, not the actual content or data itself. This identifier is then matched to information stored elsewhere, either on the user’s device or on a remote server. The relevant app, or app calling a server, uses this match to retrieve and display the appropriate data to the user.

Beacons use a System on a Chip (SoC), such as the Nordic nRF51, that includes memory. Most of the memory is used for the internal functioning of the beacon. Newer versions of SoC, for example the Nordic nRF52, have more memory that allows data to be stored.

Temperature Logger Sensor
M52-SA Plus Temperature Logger Beacon

There are some sensor logger beacons that store sensor values but this tends to be restricted to temperature logging.

New Nordic Wireless Quarter Available

Nordic Semiconductor, the leading manufacturer of System on a Chip (SoC) technology used in the majority of beacon devices and the top supplier of SoCs for Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) solutions, has released the latest PDF edition of its free Wireless Quarter Magazine. This issue showcases the wide range of applications powered by Nordic’s SoCs, offering insights into how their technology continues to shape and support innovative wireless solutions across various industries.


The latest issue of the magazine mentions the use of the same Nordic SoCs, as used in beacons, in the following Bluetooth solutions:

  • Smart eyewear solution that provides automatic, hands-free focus adjustment for both near and far vision
  • Seed monitoring platform drives efficiencies in smart agriculture
  • Matter over Thread smart dimmer controls dimmable LED lighting
  • Carv 2 AI-powered ski trainer
  • Refrigeration monitoring solution tracks inventory and temperature levels
  • ‘Two-in-one’ smart street lighting controller solution to improve modern cities

The magazine also has an interesting in-depth article on how increasing adoption of Bluetooth LE is driving innovation across sectors.

New Nordic Semiconductor Wireless Quarter

Nordic Semiconductor, the leading manufacturer of System on a Chip (SoC) used in most beacons and the top supplier of SoCs for Bluetooth LE solutions, has released the latest PDF edition of Wireless Quarter Magazine. This issue highlights the diverse applications of Nordic’s SoCs.

The latest issue of the magazine highlights the increasing use of the Nordic SoCs in health. There are details on a smart ring that delivers non-invasive diabetic risk assessment and a Bluetooth LE hybrid smartwatch that delivers accurate health data.

There are also in-depth articles on how Bluetooth is transforming the industrial Internet of Things, the smart home and precision air quality monitoring. There’s also news that the nRF Connect SDK now supports Google’s Find My Device network.

NFC and Beacons

Now that some manufacturers have started including NFC in beacons, our customers have started asking about the differences between Beacons and NFC and why NFC is being included.

In proximity detection terms you can think of NFC as being an extension of ‘very near’ in iOS’s ‘near’, ‘far’ and ‘intermediate’ proximity classifications. The range is in the order of cm rather than m. In most applications a ‘near’ beacon or higher value RSSI on Android can perform a similar function as NFC. However, NFC can be made more secure in that it can provide for secure proximity detection in scenarios such as payments. So why have NFC in beacons?

NFC within the context of iBeacons can be used as a complementary technology. For example:

Enhanced Interaction: NFC could be used to provide immediate, zero-setup interaction with an iBeacon for configuration purposes or to trigger specific actions when a user intentionally brings their device close to the beacon. This can be particularly useful in situations where BLE interactions might require more steps or user permissions.

Security and Authentication: NFC’s short range can be advantageous for secure interactions. In scenarios where an iBeacon provides location-based services, NFC could add an additional layer of security by ensuring that certain actions (e.g., payments, access control) are only triggered when the user is very close to the beacon.

Information Retrieval: For cases where iBeacons signify users about something of interest nearby, an NFC tag could provide additional, detailed information or a direct action (like opening a website or downloading an app) without the need for the user to navigate through menus or apps. This could be especially useful in museums, exhibitions, or retail settings where quick information access enhances the visitor experience.

While NFC and iBeacons serve different primary functions, integrating both can lead to innovative applications that leverage the strengths of each technology for enhanced user experiences, particularly in proximity-based interactions and services.

Wireless Quarter Magazine

Nordic Semiconductor, the manufacturer of the System on a Chip (SoC) in most beacons and number one supplier of SoCs for Bluetooth LE solutions, has published the latest online issue of Wireless Quarter Magazine. It showcases the many uses of Nordic SoCs.


The latest issue of the magazine highlights the use of the Nordic SoCs in the following Bluetooth solutions:

  • AirSuite hazardous indoor conditions monitor
  • NNOXX health and fitness performance wearable
  • Wevolver perishable goods transport solution
  • GreaseBoss machinery lubrication management sensor
  • Coral Sense connected construction module using Bluetooth Mesh

There are also in-depth articles on Cellular IoT, how AI and machine learning are transforming IoT, Cellular IoT and DECT NR+, Smart Power Grids and Connected Construction.

Latest Nordic Wireless Quarter Magazine

Nordic Semiconductor, the manufacturer of the System on a Chip (SoC) in most beacons, has published the latest online issue of Wireless Quarter Magazine. It showcases the many uses of Nordic SoCs.

The latest issue of the magazine highlights the use of the same Nordic SoCs in the following Bluetooth solutions:

  • A wearable that provides walk cueing for people with Parkinson’s disease
  • A new Casio watch offers 16 hour battery life with non-stop GPS
  • An electric jet board offering wireless remote control
  • Industrial Monitoring devices that detect equipment issues
  • An asset tracker that operates on harvested indoor light energy
  • An orthopaedic sensor that improves post-surgery patient outcomes

There’s an in-depth article on the ‘The Internet of Medical Things’ explaining how this will transform healthcare. An article on ‘Building the Clean Dream’ describes how IoT is promising cities a smarter way to manage the growing challenges of waste and pollution. A feature on ‘Safety First’ shows how the safety industry is using wireless solutions to protect us in our homes, at work and while we play.

Nordic Wireless Quarter Magazine

Nordic Semiconductor, the manufacturer of the System on a Chip (SoC) in many beacons, has published the latest online issue of Wireless Quarter Magazine. It showcases the many uses of Nordic SoCs.


The latest issue of the magazine highlights the use of Nordic SoCs in the following Bluetooth solutions:

  • The T1 Tomahawk smart tape measure
  • A beacon tag that enables a wireless manifest for helicopter crews
  • LocoTrack pallet tracking beacons
  • A pet tracker beacon that uses machine learning to detect animal health problems

The magazine also announces the new nRF54 Series of SoCs that have higher performance processing and much more on-board memory. We don’t expect these to end up in beacons because such performance isn’t required for beacons. Instead they will make their way into solutions such as Bluetooth gateways.

There’s an in-depth article on Retail that shows how wireless tech is improving the retail experience, maximising profits for the retailer and delivering value added convenience for customers. There’s mention of Stratosfy’s Tempgenie solution that uses temperature sensor beacons and a Bluetooth LE to Wi-Fi gateway to measure and alert on the ambient and surface temperature of front- and back-of-house
equipment.

Finally, there’s a useful article ‘Planet Bluetooth’ that charts the history of Bluetooth’s spread and evolution into areas and applications that were once unimagined.

Nordic Semiconductor Wireless Q Magazine

Nordic Semiconductor, the manufacturer of the System on a Chip (SoC) in the majority of beacons, has published the latest online issue of Wireless Quarter Magazine. It showcases the many uses of Nordic SoCs.


This issue of the magazine highlights the use of Nordic SoCs in the following Bluetooth solutions:

  • Wearables providing seniors’ healthcare metrics
  • The Galaxy SmartTag
  • TraceTag and YardTag smart tags for livestock tracking
  • Connected rowing machines
  • A GPS bike computer

The magazine leads with a description of a new SoC the nRF7002 for Wi-Fi 6 IoT applications. There’s also a useful article on Amazon Sidewalk that allows devices to work better indoors and extend reach beyond the home. An in-depth article, ‘How the IoT Can Help Save the World’, explains how IoT is helping countries, communities and companies meet their green responsibilities. There are also two further articles on IoT in warehousing and the use of devices for health and assigned for seniors.

Latest Nordic Wireless Quarter Magazine

Nordic Semiconductor, the manufacturer of the System on a Chip (SoC) in many beacons, has published the latest online issue of Wireless Quarter Magazine. It showcases the many uses of Nordic SoCs.

The latest issue of the magazine highlights the use of Nordic SoCs in the following Bluetooth solutions:

  • Bluetooth LE wildlife tracking solution
  • Tracker notifications to parents if their child wanders off from a caregiver
  • Bluetooth 5 monitor for refrigeration equipment
  • Indoor asset tracking platform monitoring essential medical equipment in hospitals

It’s interesting that some of these companies have chosen to create their own hardware even though these scenarios are achievable using generic beacons. Sometimes, a custom hardware product has more credibility for investors and customers. However, similar levels of kudos can be achieved by branding and/or over-casing generic devices with much less cost and risk.

The magazine also has an interesting article on how smart toy manufacturers are engaging and educating children.

Read Nordic Semiconductor Wireless Quarter