Yes! Situm has always been recognized for providing cutting-edge indoor positioning services while optimizing the infrastructure needed. Unlike many competitors, our advanced algorithms allow Situm to operate with a minimum number of beacons, sometimes as little as 10% of what other providers require. Additionally, Situm can work with BLE Access Points (WiFi access points that emit Bluetooth signals), enabling clients to leverage existing WiFi infrastructure without needing new hardware.
For iOS, Situm has been successfully using Apple Indoor Location for a long time. This solution allows iPhones to offer beacon-free positioning. On Android devices, Situm also provides indoor positioning based solely on WiFi signals, continuing our tradition of offering a beacon-free alternative. Both systems have shown great results, and we are excited to promote them as viable options for indoor positioning.
What Positioning Options Does Situm Offer?
Situm provides flexible indoor positioning solutions on both Android and iOS, using either BLE or Wi-Fi signals:
- BLE Beacons and/or BLE Access Points (APs): This is the most recommended option for ensuring high precision and fast location updates. Android devices can scan both Wi-Fi and BLE signals, while iOS relies on BLE signals, delivering seamless positioning across platforms.
- Wi-Fi-based Positioning for Android (Beacon-Free): For environments where installing beacons isn’t possible, Situm offers a Wi-Fi-only option for Android. From Android 9 onwards, Wi-Fi scans are limited to once every 30 seconds (Wi-Fi throttling), which may cause minor delays in automatic floor detection. However, Situm’s accuracy remains solid under these conditions. Adding BLE beacons can improve performance in areas with limited Wi-Fi coverage.
- iOS Positioning Without Beacons (Using Apple Indoor Location): Apple’s Operating System (iOS) doesn’t allow third-party apps like Situm to use Wi-Fi for positioning. However, by joining the Apple Indoor Maps Program, clients can access Apple’s Wi-Fi-based system for beacon-free indoor positioning, limited to iOS devices. Situm is fully integrated with this solution, which is ideal for environments with a strong Wi-Fi infrastructure.
What is Apple Indoor Location?
Apple Indoor Location uses existing WiFi infrastructure and iPhone sensors to deliver highly accurate indoor positioning without the need for beacons. Integrated with Apple Maps, it offers precise navigation in buildings with robust WiFi coverage. The setup involves creating maps in IMDF (Indoor Mapping Data Format) and performing calibration through Apple’s tools.
Apple Indoor Location offers significant savings in locations with strong WiFi networks, making it a great option for businesses that don’t want to install beacons. Since the system is built into iOS, users benefit from smooth and precise navigation on iPhones in compatible buildings.
Beacons vs. Beacon-Free: Which is Better?
While Apple Indoor Location is an excellent option for certain cases, we still recommend using beacons in most situations. Here’s why:
- Constant Coverage: Beacons provide stable coverage in any environment, including areas with weak or unreliable Wi-Fi.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: Using beacons ensures a unified solution for both Android and iOS devices, eliminating the need for separate setups for each platform.
- Consistent Precision: While Apple Indoor Location depends on Wi-Fi quality, beacons guarantee stable precision, even in environments with little or no Wi-Fi coverage.
- Easy Maintenance: Beacons are easy to install and maintain, with battery life lasting up to 10 years.
- Predictable Service: Apple is known for its policy changes. Using Situm’s technology means not having to worry about potential changes to Apple Indoor Location’s availability.
Caution with Beacon-Free Promises
Be cautious when providers promise beacon-free solutions for iOS using their own technology. Often, these solutions are based on Apple Indoor Location, which isn’t exclusive to any provider. In other cases, these systems may not match the precision and stability of a well-calibrated, beacon-based solution.
At Situm, we’ve seamlessly integrated Apple Indoor Location into our platform, offering both beacon-free and beacon-based options. However, for most environments, beacon deployment remains the most reliable and versatile solution.
Conclusion
At Situm, our goal is to provide the best indoor positioning solutions tailored to the needs of each client. The addition of Apple Indoor Location to our platform is another step in our pursuit of innovation, but beacon-based solutions continue to be the most solid option for ensuring optimal performance across both Android and iOS.
Do you have questions about which option is right for your project? Contact us, and we’ll help you choose the best solution for your needs.