Dive Summary:

• Qualcomm has announced the release of Gimbal proximity beacons – its competitive answer to Apple’s iBeacon technology.
• The Gimbal beacon technology will operate similarly to iBeacon but will be compatible with mobile devices running on both Apple’s iOS and the Android operating system.
• The Gimbel beacons are priced less than competing Apple iBeacon technology and will provide retailers with the ability to target in-store consumers on both Apple and Android devices.

Dive Insight:

Apple released its new iBeacon technology nationwide on Dec. 6 and PayPal launched its own, similar beacon technology back in September. Apple will certainly have a competitive challenge on its hands with the release of Qualcomm’s new Gimbel beacon, given the device is compatible with both Apple and Android devices – a feature Apple isn’t likely to offer at its brick-and-mortar retail locations.