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Bluetooth AoA vs. RSSI Beacon Technology
There are four Main Indoor Positioning Technologies, which are Bluetooth AoA, RSSI Beacon and UWB and WI-FI.
Bluetooth AoA provides sub-meter accuracy through angle detection, ideal for cost-sensitive precision tracking.
RSSI Beacons relies on signal strength strength estimation, offering simpler deployment for basic proximity tracking (5m accuracy) in retail and hospitality, though susceptible to environmental interference.
UWB provides the highest accuracy (<10cm) via GHz-level pulse transmission, but requires dedicated infrastructure at higher cost, typically deployed in industrial settings like factories and power plants.
WI-FI Positioning leverages existing WI-FI networks for 3-5m accuracy, making it widely compatible but less precise than AoA/UWB and more power-intensive than BLE solutions.
AoA balances accuracy and affordability, while UWB excels in mission-critical applications. Beacons serve low-cost, proximity-based use cases, whereas WI-FI provides broad coverage at the expense of precision and energy efficiency. While WI-FI uses existing APs, Bluetooth solutions (AoA/Beacons) offer better battery life and lower deployment complexity for dedicated tracking systems.
| Technology | Bluetooth AoA | Bluetooth RSSI | UWB | WI-FI Positioning |
| Protocol |
Anchor: BT5.1 Tag: BT4.0+ |
Anchor: BT4.0+ Tag: BT4.0+ |
Anchor: UWB Tag: UWB |
Anchor: Wi-Fi AP Tag: Wi-Fi |
| Typical accuracy | 0.1 ~ 0.5 m | 5 ~ 10 m | 0.1 ~ 0.3 m | 3 ~ 10m |
| Refresh rate | High | Low | Medium | Low |
| compatibility |
Various BLE AoA tags such as mobile phones, bracelets, watches, beacon, etc. |
Additional special tags for return channels such as LoRa are required |
UWB Tag |
Wi-Fi Tag，Wi-Fi-enabled mobile phones, tablets, and laptops |
| Tag power consumption | Low | High | High | High |
| Anchor cost | General | Low | High | High |
| Tag cost | Low | High | High | High |
| loT anchor capabilities | Yes | No | No | Yes |
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