Estimote Mirror combines smart beacons with TV displays

Smart beacons are currently limited to displaying personalized or relevant data on the smartphone, but that might not be the case for much longer. Estimote, a leader in beacon tech, has launched the Mirror, a beacon that connects to TV displays.

A retailer can connect the Mirror to a TV through HDMI and USB, usually found on the side or back of the TV. Once connected, the beacon can pair with a nearby smartphone and send relevant data to large displays, which can show additional details.

Estimote gives a few examples, an airport screen could provide personalized data of your flight and the easiest route to the gate; a retailer could tell you if a shoe is available in your size.

Connecting multiple displays—a smartphone and a TV—gives retailers more opportunity to entice customers. A retailer might check your recently searched Google results and show applicable products at the store window, with a reduced price.

Estimote uses sticker technology

Estimote supplies a sticker that uses geolocation to recognize what user has picked up a product, and displays relevant info on the smartphone. If the customer is near a TV, the sticker will also send that info to the larger display, if retailers add the Mirror beacon.

Beacons are still an emerging tech for the retail market, some stores are adopting the technology, while others are worried about consistency, programming, and privacy.

Estimote’s solution, which now covers smartphones and TVs—and connects individual products to the beacons—might invite new interest from retailers that were on the fence.