BLUETOOH WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY continues to gain design wins over a wide range of applications due in part to its small-form factor radio, low power, low cost, built-in security, robustness, ease-of-use, and ad-hoc networking abilities.
New research from In-Stat, Bluetooth 2011: Rapid Growth for Established Interface, is predicting continued success. Noting a 23% increase in Bluetooth device shipments between 2009 and 2010, the report forecasts that shipments will exceed 2 billion in 2013.
“Bluetooth has been bolstered in the past year by the emergence of two new standards”, said research director Brian O’Rourke, in the report’s press release. “Bluetooth 3.0 + High Speed combines classic Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to transmit large data files and Bluetooth 4.0, which offers much lower power consumption than classic Bluetooth and targets medical and fitness devices, as well as PCs and mobile phones.”
Other details from the report include:
– Classic Bluetooth will remain the leading BT interface throughout the forecast period;
– Bluetooth 4.0 + High Speed option expected to hit the market in mobile phones by the end of 2011;
– Bluetooth 3.0 + High Speed is a software-only solution that allows Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to work together;
– Bluetooth 4.0 primarily targets new BT markets such as medical, fitness, and security devices; and
– Automotive BT is now common option in mid-priced sedans.
