Is there Beep'ngo for Apple?

Heard back from Mobeam regarding Galaxy S7 that doesn't have IR built in. Still sounds like a hardware thing though that manufacturers would have to build in?

Thank you for contacting Mobeam. Beaming technology does not rely on the IR blaster, but it does emit pulses of infrared light to mimic barcode information. The technology relies on an embedded chip and driver that is present on the Galaxy s7. Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

It would be up to the app developer, not Apple, to do that. It appears that they currently only have an Android version. http://www.beepngo.com/

This is a user-to-user support forum. If you would like to make a suggestion to Apple you can do that at https://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

I've been hoping for this too. From what I read on the BeepnGo site, the reason this app works with Samsung phones is because the app uses the built in LED to beam barcodes to scanners that won't otherwise work scanning a phone screen. Until stores replace scanners with better ones that will scan a phone screen we're stuck using physical cards or (god forbid) buying a Samsung phone. 😉

Or not...

"For devices without Mobeam's patented beaming technology, Beep'nGo is still compatible. Modern optical (imaging) scanners are required to scan the reflective screens from smartphones. If your store does not have these modern scanners installed, simply show the code to the clerk."

https://mobeam.helpshift.com/a/beep-ngo/?s=getting-started-with-beep-ngo&f=what- does-the-beep-ngo-app-do

Perhaps there is some other reason they don't want to be in the Apple ecosystem. From their own description, lack of an LED can't be the reason. Had they submitted and been rejected, they would likely use that as an excuse. Maybe there is something about that app that they know won't be allowed by Apple.

Yes, first quote is correct of any wallet app on a smart phone. Bar code number can always be entered by an operator.

Nothing to do with not wanting to be in Apple ecosystem. It all comes down to the fact that laser scanners are cheaper so most companies/stores buy them without future thinking that people want to use their smart phone for everything. Some stores go to the expense of purchasing digital scanners that will read barcodes from any phone screen. Mobeams patented technology uses the infrared LED to beam barcodes to the cheaper laser scanners that's why it works. The only company they seemed to have been able to work with is Samsung. And not all phones have Infrared (mistyped just LED before) that can be used to transmit data.

https://mobeam.helpshift.com/a/beep-ngo/?s=common-questions&f=what-devices-does- the-beep-ngo-app-work-with

That's not my point. Mobeams has no problem marketing their product to any Android phone, whether or not it has the "patented technology". So, why is Mobeams compatible with one phone that doesn't have that technology but not compatible with the iPhone? In the quote I reproduced above, they clearly state that Mobeams will work on most modern scanners. But on the page where they claim the iPhone is incompatible, suddenly the story is different "barcodes cannot be scanned from the phone’s screen by most scanners".

https://mobeam.helpshift.com/a/beep-ngo/?s=common-questions&f=is-beep-ngo-availa ble-for-iphone

Been to an airport lately? This statement is obviously false.

I am not saying that Apple customer are missing out on anything. Apple customers generate the vast majority of mobile revenue. Even a fraction of that, without the scanning technology, would be an enormous new market for a company that I had never heard of until you mentioned it. Most companies are doing anything they can to get into Apple's ecosystem. Why is this company avoiding it like the plague? Seems suspicious.

Don't think you get the point. Going by what they're saying on their tech doco, the Beepngo app works on any android but without the extra hardware is just the same as every other wallet app on the market. The company has only been able to work (imo, you can ask them for sure) with Samsung to utilise the IR hardware. Without the hardware, the app is just like all the many other wallet apps to store your loyalty card (like StoCard/Apple Wallet). Yes I'm sure they could port their app to iOS but then they'll just be another app that does the same thing as all the other iOS apps that store your cards but don't scan. So why bother spend money to just be one of the masses.

What sets the app apart (and is the reason why I specifically would like something like the app on iOS) is that on Samsung phones, they've been able to leverage on the hardware on the phone. If Apple built IR into an iPhone, third party developers could then provide the same sort of functionality (although I'd hazard a guess that Apple wouldn't allow it like they do with NFC in iPhones).

Furthermore, I notice that they list on their website that the 'beaming technology' works on Galaxy S7/S7 Edge. As far as I know, those models don't have IR so I've sent them an email asking them how it works without it now. Stay tuned for their feedback.