This week on the Mr. Beacon Podcast, we dive into two big developments in the world of auto-ID and ambient IoT. First, we unpack Qualcomm’s recent announcement of the Dragon Wing Q6690 chip, which brings RFID capabilities directly to smartphones and industrial handhelds. This long-awaited milestone could help fulfill the decades-old vision of RFID-enabled phones—potentially transforming retail, logistics, and consumer applications

However there are challenges ahead, including lack of Apple and Google support, limited background scanning, and the very real lessons from NFC’s bumpy history. It’s a breakthrough worth celebrating, but one that needs perspective.

Then we sat down with Jason Wu, Cofounder and CEO of InPlay Inc., a semiconductor innovator behind the $1 Bluetooth beacon that is changing the economics of IoT. Jason shares how InPlay pivoted from its gaming roots into IoT, and how its NanoBeacon technology drastically reduces costs by simplifying chip design, minimizing supporting components, and even enabling no-code configuration. The result? Tags and labels that can run on printed batteries or energy harvesting, bringing active Bluetooth tracking into cost-sensitive markets that were once dominated by RFID.

Jason explains how smart labels, cold chain monitoring, logistics, and even consumer wearables are emerging as high-volume use cases. He details why integrating sensors like temperature and accelerometers opens new doors for data-driven applications, and how InPlay’s ultra-low-power designs achieve years of life on tiny batteries. He also discusses manufacturability, scalability, and the importance of making IoT accessible to developers without deep firmware expertise.

Together, we explore the bigger picture: how Bluetooth beacons and RFID complement each other in building out a truly ambient IoT ecosystem. It’s a timely conversation about where the industry is headed, how costs are finally aligning with demand, and what it takes to create an entirely new category of auto-ID technology.

Jason’s Favorite Song:

-“Tian Mi Mi” by Teresa Teng: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc2tW0jFHPo&t=3s

Mister Beacon is hosted by Steve Statler, CEO of AmbAI Inc. — creators of AmbiantGPT, the AI agent that connects people to products and the brands behind them. AmbAI also advises leading brands on Ambient Intelligence strategy.

Our sponsor is Identiv https://www.identiv.com, whose IoT solutions create digital identities for physical objects, enhancing global connectivity for businesses, people, and the planet. We are also sponsored by Blecon http://www.blecon.net. Blecon enables physical products to communicate with cloud applications using Bluetooth Low Energy.