Fellow Apple Distinguished Educator Gary Bass of Advaita Digital has pointed me to a discussion about how the Passbook built into every iPad/iPhone can be used with iBeacons:
"Over in apple communities there is a raging and wide ranging discussion..with a discovery about PassBook and passkit just revealed..
An App is not required to detect beacon(s)..
- could be very useful in schools!
Teachers use MBP as 'virtual beacon' from their projector connected computer.
As student approaches the classroom..or learning space, messages pop-up (recall wifi is not needed for bluetooth).
Perfect for excursions..the imagination begins to go wild!!
But, better yet, no specific App is necessary to detect the beacon.
Details over on https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6028034#25277013
(warning!! ..a bit nerdy..so some IT speak will be encountered.."
- Thanks for sharing this Gary!