The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced that the upcoming Bluetooth 4.0 wireless specification may reach consumer products before the end of 2010, packed into smartphones, healthcare devices, sports and fitness devices, and similar products.
The group's low-energy Bluetooth 4.0 standard was released in December 2009, with the protocol expected to become popular in the health, fitness and security industries. The low energy Bluetooth requires new hardware, but it can operate for years using a coin-cell battery.
Even though Bluetooth 4.0 was designed to consume less power, improved battery life will not likely occur during continuous data communication or long-range transmissions.
Unlike previous Bluetooth specifications, Bluetooth 4.0 is expected to have a faster impact in watches, smart meters, pedometers, and other products away from the PC consumer market. Analysts expect Bluetooth 4.0 will be able to find its way to tablet PCs, portable gaming devices, and other products that require extended battery life and increased hardware performance.
The format could be especially useful in conjunction with wireless networks, as Bluetooth 4.0 supports Wi-Fi 802.11 networks. If connected to a Wi-Fi 802.11 access point, Bluetooth 4.0 supports transfer speeds up to 25MB/s.
Bluetooth 4.0 will compete with UWB (Ultra Wideband), Wi-Fi and WiBro wireless protocols, but it will have a significant advantage due to its power saving features. There are several other formats Bluetooth 4.0 may also have to look out for, but its incumbent status should help it win market-share throughout North America and the rest of the world.
