If you happen to see someone in Apple’s Grand Central store pick up an Apple product and walkout the store without ever talking to a salesperson or paying at the checkout counter, please don’t tackle them. It isn’t a case of daylight robbery – they may have used Apple’s iBeacon.

In a bid to reinvent the way consumers go about their shopping, Apple is introducing iBeacons at some of their stores. Simply put, it’s a Bluetooth location beacon that links with an app on your iPhone. The iBeacon allows two-way communication between it and your phone within a 10 metre radius.

Depending on where you are in the store, the beacons will send information about the products in the vicinity to your Apple Store App, eradicating the need for you to ever talk to a salesperson again. Simply by scanning the barcode you can get specific info on the product. Purchases can be made using your Apple ID, at which point you’re free to walk out with it.

Using the iBeacon, Apple plans to change the way your iPhone interacts with stores, museums, venues or parks. Different apps will allow these beacons to send localized information to your phone.

[Source : Mashable]