Key Takeaways:
- Hubble Network and InPlay aim to make item-level global tracking affordable by combining satellite-powered Bluetooth coverage with InPlay’s sub-$1 NanoBeacon chip.
- The partnership targets smart labels, cold chain monitoring, returnable transport items, and wearables without requiring dedicated scanning infrastructure.
Hubble Network, the world’s first satellite-powered Bluetooth network, has entered a partnership with InPlay to deliver global asset tracking at a cost that rivals passive RFID.
InPlay’s IN100 NanoBeacon is plug-and-play with a uniquely small form factor that can be embedded into smart labels, wearables, and small IoT trackers. Once deployed with Hubble firmware, devices instantly connect to Hubble’s network with zero infrastructure costs or hardware setup, allowing manufacturers to start transmitting telemetry sensor data from day one.
By combining InPlay’s sub-$1 IN100 NanoBeacon chip with Hubble’s 95 million-plus gateways, item-level sensor and location data will become affordable and accessible at a massive scale, according to officials from. both companies As part of the partnership, Hubble and InPlay will pursue joint go-to-market efforts across use cases, including smart labels, cold chain monitoring, returnable transport items, and wearables.
Hubble’s Alex Haro on Benefits of Collaboration with InPlay
Alex Haro, CEO and co-founder of Hubble Network, stated RFID makes you build infrastructure around every tag.
“Hubble is like an API layer for monitoring the physical world without needing your own physical scanning infrastructure,” said Haro in a statement. “Combined with InPlay’s chips, which are small, ultra low-power, and built to scale, we’re making global tracking possible at a price that puts item-level visibility within reach for any business.”
Affordable, Item-level Tracking at Global Scale
The announcement builds on recent momentum for Hubble, which announced an integration with Samsara for connected asset tracking, while InPlay’s NanoBeacon technology has received industry recognition and is trusted by partners including Indentiv, NXP, and Bosch.
The global RFID market is growing rapidly—yet passive RFID tags can only be scanned at close range, leaving just two percent of companies with visibility beyond their second-tier suppliers. These blind spots cost businesses an average of $13 million a year. Unlike cellular trackers that use LTE, which only cover approximately 15% of the Earth’s landmass, the Hubble–InPlay partnership delivers global reach with RFID-level affordability.
“For years, supply chains chose between cheap tags with limited range or costly trackers with broader reach,” said Jason Wu, Cofounder and CEO of InPlay Inc. “Our partnership with Hubble Network is a massive leap forward for our ecosystem. Our customers now have an out-of-the-box solution to take the data generated by our chips and broadcast it anywhere in the world. Together, we are turning simple packages into highly intelligent and connected nodes for improved tracking and condition monitoring.”