WASHINGTON — Would you want Facebook to let you know that an old friend from high school is down the street, and offer you the chance to message that person directly?
It will soon be possible, thanks to a new Wi-Fi technology that makes it easier for smartphones to know what people, items, or services are nearby.
The new tech is called Wi-Fi Aware, and is being released by Wi-Fi Alliance, the nonprofit trade organization that includes Apple, Microsoft, Intel and other tech powerhouses, according to TechCrunch.
With Wi-Fi Aware, Wi-Fi enabled devices continuously send and receive broadcasts from devices in the vicinity. When one is discovered, the user is offered the chance to opt-in to communicating with the other device, without relying on cellular data or an Internet connection.
Picture this: You’re at a concert, snapping photos, and you want to see photos being taken by others at the show. Photo-sharing apps equipped with Wi-Fi Aware will let you know when someone in the vicinity has pictures to share, and you can choose to see them.
Another example: A museum display could offer visitors the opportunity to learn about the exhibit the visitor is standing in front of.
Similar to Apple’s iBeacon, a Facebook user who has Liked a brand of clothing could be alerted when approaching a store that has sales on the user’s favorite brands.
According to Forbes, chip makers including Broadcom, Intel, Marvell and Realtek are loading the feature onto their Wi-Fi chips.
