iPhone users at the SXSW festival were introduced to the use of iBeacon. iBeacons have been implemented at retail stores and some stadiums, but this was one of the first festivals that made use of the Bluetooth LE tech.
Simply put, iBeacons are Bluetooth beacons that are able to communicate with your smartphone when you are in range of it. This technology is preferred to GPS for establishing your location indoors. Using the official SXSW app, iPhone users were given notifications on the app when they attended certain sections, stalls or panels. It also allows you to communicate with others in the vicinity using the app.
[ Source : Mashable ]
