The technology giant has found a unique way to personalize the in store shopping experience.

Apple has now debuted its Bluetooth based in store retail mobile marketing geolocation technology called iBeacon, which gives companies the opportunity to communicate with shoppers who have entered their shops at exactly the moment that they are most receptive to it.

This in store geolocation technology is starting to work its way into a growing number of stores.

This form of retail mobile marketing makes it possible for users of iPhones who have the App Store app and whose Bluetooth device feature is turned on (in a device running iOS 7) to receive messages from a store that they have entered that will help to enhance their shopping experience. It could alert them regarding a promotion that is available in the store, provide them with the information that they need to upgrade a purchase, or even turn by turn in store directions to whatever product the shopper is seeking.

Although the concept behind this retail mobile marketing technology isn’t new, it does have its own Apple spin.

This version of geofencing gives retailers the ability to use this type of technology with much greater ease. When using iBeacon, it means that they can use effective “micro location” targeting. There are also great possibilities being seen by locations that have nothing to do with retail, such as museums, theme parks, green parks, or large events. The immediate success of the tech could mean that there could be a sharp spike in the use of these methods in a very short period of time.

At the same time, though, Apple isn’t the only player in this sphere. Google also has a keen interest in geolocation. However, until now, much of their attention has been placed on NFC technology, which was predicted to be a massive player but that is not experiencing nearly the explosion that many investors had hoped.

The leader in this style of retail mobile marketing has yet to be seen, but it will depend on the willingness of both retailers and consumers to opt in. There are a number of issues that could come into play, here, including the types of technologies that are most readily available, those most commonly used by consumers, and the willingness of consumers to hand over personal and location data to retailers on yet another level.

AR is becoming increasingly popular, with more invested into this tech than ever before.

There are many forms of technology that are taking off in the mobile sphere, and among them, a great deal of attention is being focused on the augmented reality app and the potential it has for a range of different purposes.

From real time guides for mechanics and surgeons to digital consumer products, it has potentially limitless uses.

This year, there will be an estimated investment of $670 million into the development of an augmented reality app of one form or another. These applications can be as serious as those providing guidance to heart surgeons who need to be able to track the location of various circulatory pathways, to jet engine repair instructions, to entertainment as seemingly simple as telling children’s bedtime stories or bringing a child’s drawings to life.

These two categories of augmented reality app forms are considered to have equally lucrative potential.

The Colorapp, for instance allows a child to be able to color in printable drawings that appear to then spring to life when they are viewed through a smartphone or tablet that is running the application. Of course, this is far from the only digital toy that uses this tech for kids. Tocaboca provides another range of AR options, including the Toca Hair Salon Me, the Toca Doctor, and Toca Builder, all aimed at entertaining children.

This is quite appealing to parents, as well, who enjoy the fact that their children have a highly appealing and entertaining option that is non-competitive, open-ended, and that does not include violence – an achievement that is increasingly rare in today’s children’s toy marketplace.

For adults in business, on the other hand, there are also some applications that can help to bring back appeal in areas that could otherwise be rather drab. A traditional line of slides can be dressed up for the audience using eMaze, which provides a range of professional looking templates that enhance a presentation.

It is expected that this type of augmented reality app, as futuristic as it seems today, will be nearly commonplace by the end of next year as a growing number of companies discover ways that they can use it to appeal to customers and clients.