Apple's Secret Retail Weapon Is Already in Your Pocket - Businessweek

I'm guessing "disable iBeacon" is already a popular search expression

"IBeacon is a third locating system, one that runs on something called Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). “It’s a game-changing technology,” says tech blogger Steve Cheney, who has written extensively on the topic. See, standard Bluetooth is great when you want to sync your phone to your car, or play music over a Bluetooth speaker, but it sure does sap your phone’s battery. BLE can’t do the same heavy lifting that regular Bluetooth can, but it can allow a phone or other device to do simple things on a near-permanent basis. With BLE, your phone can announce its presence to other devices in range in an extremely power-efficient way.
And since Bluetooth is designed for short distances (about 150 feet or less), it can be more accurate. With iBeacon, any iOS 7 device becomes a potential BLE beacon, and it’s already in place in every new and updated iPhone and iPad. For retailers to make their spaces iBeacon-friendly, they’ll need dedicated beacons, like the $99 three-pack from Estimote."

Apple's Secret Retail Weapon Is Already in Your Pocket - Businessweek