It has been one year since Blue Bite’s launch of esca, a dual-mode BLE beacon capable of simultaneously broadcasting both iBeacon and Eddystone protocols.
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Driven by the desire to contribute to the progressive world of IoT and all things connected, esca has maintained its mission through updates and improvements over the last year. To increase its security measures, esca was updated to support an ephemeral identifier (EID). EID functions by using a rolling code, a sort of virtual key needed to unlock information being transmitted by a device such as a beacon. Utilizing a rolling code substantially lessens the possibility of information breach, by making it impossible for those looking to compromise secure information to mimic or forge the code.
esca’s physical hardware has also undergone updates to improve functionality and maintain longer battery life. In its first form, esca was only available in our 1.5” by 1.5” model. Since then, esca has been released in two additional sizes, a long-range USB antenna and a mini USB dongle, both smaller than esca’s first iteration, allowing them to be easily deployed in digital signage. Harnessing the power of USB, the need to replace batteries has been eliminated, and thus ensures prolonged utility with less maintenance.
esca has enjoyed uplift in market usage and visibility, in addition to both the internal and external improvements it has seen. Most recently, Sprint and Verizon partnered with Blue Bite to use esca beacons in their campaigns. TFM, an interactive entertainment media agency, and CBN, a college campus media company, have heavily invested in esca, creating long-term partnerships with Blue Bite to use the beacons at festivals and on college campuses respectively. esca has also increased its visibility through widespread presence, deployed in taxis, malls, cinemas, and public transit.
We have all become aware of the potentialities beacons and the greater cadre of IoT present. In the last year alone, beacons have become prevalent with a staggering 4 million currently deployed worldwide. Estimates predict as many as 400 million BLE beacons will ship by 2020, and connected objects in general are at levels boasting 8 billion devices. We’ve seen evidence of the ever-growing landscape in our own data too. Since the introduction of esca beacons, it has become the most utilized physical sensor in our mobile tech arsenal.
The trend is only going to increase moving forward with more devices becoming connected and additional beacons being deployed. With the improvements and achievements esca has seen, we are eagerly anticipating the continued development and success for esca in the coming year.
Happy Anniversary esca!
Team Blue Bite
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