This post is by Andy Salisbury, R&TTE application engineer at TRaC

I was among more than 200 delegates from North America, Asia and Europe at the Bluetooth SIG All Hands Meeting in Vancouver, Canada recently where we discussed Bluetooth, the dominant technology in the mobile low energy sector.

Attendees joined in with the training sessions and working groups (which comprised 3D Glasses, Audio/Video, Automation, CORE, GATT, HID, Medical, Multiprofile, Personal User Interface, Sports and Fitness, Telephony and Car). There was also a presentation from analyst Stuart Carlaw from ABI Research, about today’s Bluetooth market and the opportunities for this technology in future.

He observed that nearly every mobile phone has Bluetooth capability and there are now two billion devices shipped; projected to reach nearly four billion by 2016. Only 10 per cent of Bluetooth devices are actively used, but this is set to change with the advent of the latest version of Bluetooth (version 4.0).

This version has been referred to as Bluetooth Low Energy as low energy technology is its main feature, but more importantly this feature is the basis for Bluetooth Smart devices. The SIG considered this so important, that it introduced the Bluetooth Smart and Smart Ready logos. The latest development of Bluetooth opens up the market for devices which are designed to gather data and require a long battery life, covering areas such as health and fitness, smart home and remote controls. This data can be readily utilized by apps running on Bluetooth Smart Ready products such as phones, tablets and even TVs.

These devices can operate using both older ‘legacy’ versions of Bluetooth and the newer Bluetooth Smart, and can act as a hub for Bluetooth Smart devices providing internet access and Apps to make use of the data acquired from the new generation of products. Apple and Windows 8 are supporting the Bluetooth Smart Ready technology, which will move the game on.

For more information on the Bluetooth SIG, please contact me at andy.salisbury@tracglobal.com.