‘PKPKT’ is a Bluetooth iPhone game for kleptomaniacs

PKPKT (pronounced “pickpocket”) is a new iPhone game that uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to simulate digital pickpocketing. Each player starts with $1,000 dollars in fake money, and can make more money by stealing from nearby PKPT users even if the app isn’t open, thanks to the technical wizardry of BLE and iOS 7. Once you’ve stolen from someone, you can boast about it by messaging them, which also works over Bluetooth — a refreshingly local twist on the cloud-based messaging apps we use today.

PKPKT works by constantly scanning for other players nearby, and then sending a notification to both players. By tapping three times on the top of your iPhone, you can attempt a steal. Whoever’s fastest takes home the 10 digital dollars. “[BLE] was the first technology in a while that really piqued my interest,” says PKPT developer Jeremy Schoenherr, and he’s not alone. The game is one of several new ways that BLE is getting utilized on the iPhone. Apple itself is using it in its stores with iBeacon, and there’s an app called Knock that lets you unlock your Mac by knocking on your phone, and it works even if the app itself isn’t open.