I didn't know it was a secret? Figured it was pretty common knowledge back when iBeacons and similar were announced and when major retailers like Target even made press releases about it
Kind of funny that Apple pushing privacy basically helped create this kind of tracking to begin with.
Edit: NYT article mentions other apps selling data to retailers. I think it's time apps start asking permission to use BTLE. No reason a weather app needs that kind of access.
Wasn't this tracking the defining business use case going all the way back to when Apple introduced them in 2013? These devices might not be well know, but I don't think anyone was actively trying to hide why businesses were installing these things.
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/20/target-rolls-out-bluetooth...
Kind of funny that Apple pushing privacy basically helped create this kind of tracking to begin with.
Edit: NYT article mentions other apps selling data to retailers. I think it's time apps start asking permission to use BTLE. No reason a weather app needs that kind of access.