Apple is building a new iBeacon-powered device, FCC filing reveals

Heads up, iBeacon developers: Apple is gearing up to launch a new product that will utilize its location-aware iBeacon technology, according to a filing with the Federal Communications Commission — discovered by TUAW.

Apple’s iBeacon technology has recently made waves in the retail industry. The system enables apps to pin-point exactly where a user is located in relation to an iBeacon sensor, optimistically creating new opportunities for businesses to interact with customers in-store.

Third-party companies have long offered iBeacon-powered hardware, but Apple has yet to debut its own device. Now, according to the filing below, Apple-branded hardware is on the way, but as 9to5Mac points out, it’s not yet clear how the new hardware will be marketed.

The purpose of the device could vary greatly; it could serve as a replacement to the third-party sensors used in Apple stores since last December, it could be sold directly to retailers, or it could take the form of Apple’s first smart-home device.

More on iBeacon: Here’s what Apple’s iBeacon really is & why it’s going to change everything.