Duane Reade has released the first update to its mobile application for the iPhone, including the integration of Apple's iBeacon technology for 10 of its drug stores in Manhattan.

The metropolitan New York drug chain noted that the addition of iBeacon to its app greatly improves the customer's in-store experience by providing micro-location awareness.

NEW YORK — Duane Reade has released the first update to its mobile application for the iPhone, including the integration of Apple’s iBeacon technology for 10 Duane Reade drug stores.

The 2.0 update boosts the array of features in Duane Reade’s iPhone app.

The metropolitan New York drug chain, part of Walgreen Co., said Tuesday that the update boosts the array of features in the Duane Reade iPhone app, including the new Weekly Ads & Coupons, Pill Reminder, DR Walk-In, Preferred Store, Shopping List, Steps and QuickPrints from Instagram.  

Duane Reade noted that the addition of iBeacon to its app greatly improves the customer’s in-store experience. Introduced with Apple’s iOS 7, iBeacon uses Bluetooth Low Energy and geo-fencing technology to provide apps with micro-location awareness, such as trail markers in a park, exhibits in a museum or product displays in stores.

For the Duane Reade app, iBeacon adds features such as lock screen notifications when initially approaching a select Duane Reade store location, coupon offers based on historical data and product reviews for timely content at the point of decision, the drug chain said.

Plans call for iBeacon to initially be available at 10 Duane Reade stores in Manhattan to test the viability of a further rollout, Duane Reade said. The iBeacon test Duane Reade locations are at 51 W. 51st St., 22 W. 48th St., 661 8th Ave., 4 Columbus Circle, 771 8th Ave., 1350 Broadway, 1627 Broadway, 100 W. 57th St., 1370 Avenue of the Americas and 1150 Avenue of the Americas. Overall, Duane Reade has more than 240 stores.

"The Duane Reade app plays an integral role in our omnichannel customer engagement strategy,” Calvin Peters, PR and digital communications manager for Walgreens, said in a statement. "Mobile interaction is at the core of our social media success, as mobile and social are intrinsically linked. The addition of these new 2.0 features, as well as the integration of iBeacon technology, will continue to fuel our digital customer experience strategy, as we strive to push forward our ‘New York Living Made Easy’ mantra.

"It is incredibly important for Duane Reade to be where our customers are, including on their smart mobile devices," Peters added. "This update aligns with our goal to provide them with tools, programs and category specific consumer-generated media that offer relevant convenience, including trusted product and service insights."

Duane Reade said the 2.0 update is the first in a series of app announcements slated for this year. The first wave of releases brings the app up to par with the features of the Walgreens iPhone app. Through the app’s in-store mode, customers will have quick access to their individual Balance Rewards loyalty program bar code, paperless coupons scorecard indicating the specific number clipped and the savings for each, a floor map displaying a bird’s eye view of the store location, a product locator for item search and location plotting of the item via the in-store map, scanner options for instant product scans revealing detailed item information, mobile coupon clipping for immediate redemption at the point of sale, and instant Instagram 4×4 prints directly to a Duane Reade store.