Introducing Nearby: Physical Proximity Awareness for Apps

Dive into the world of proximity-based technology with this 33-minute Google I/O 2016 conference talk. Explore the Nearby API, which enables apps to detect and interact with nearby smartphones, devices, and beacons using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and ultrasound. Learn about cross-platform, peer-to-peer functionality and upcoming features for associating BLE beacons with on-device actions. Discover how to implement relevant, proximity-powered triggers, sharing, and group formation in both Android and iOS applications. The talk covers the technical aspects of Nearby, including how it works, beacons, notifications, advertising, beacon provisioning, claiming ownership, linking beacons to apps, app attachments, mobile web fallback, and launching apps based on proximity.