Bluetooth to Get Boost from Video - When Will it Be Used?
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Devices with the new version of Bluetooth technology won’t be out for a while yet, of course. Michael Foley, executive director at Bluetooth SIG, noted that the new version would aim to keep the advantages of current Bluetooth technology, such as the low power consumption and its security features. The first devices are supposed to reach the prototyping stage by June 2007. Consumers will supposedly be able to get their hands on devices with the new technology before June 2008.
In addition to keeping Bluetooth’s current strengths, the new technology is supposed to fix some of the usability problems. For example, some users have been having problems with Bluetooth interfaces not being uniform and intuitive enough. If you ever tried to link a phone to a PC to transfer a picture, then not been sure quite where that picture ended up, you know what I’m talking about.
Also, remember what I said earlier about there being tons of wireless technologies competing with each other? The standard for the new ultrawideband Bluetooth technology will allow different wireless protocols to operate within the same wireless personal area network without interference. The new standard is also set up to meet regulatory requirements worldwide, so if you travel a lot, your gadgets will still work as expected, assuming negotiations with the appropriate regulatory bodies proceed well.
Even so, adoption of the new standard, and availability (and use) of devices based on that standard, may not proceed as quickly as some would hope. Currently, more than 500 million devices support Bluetooth. By the end of 2006, that number is projected to rise to one billion.
But how many people actually use it? Well, everyone who buys a Bluetooth headset probably uses it, but not everyone who buys a Bluetooth-enabled phone uses that part of the phone’s capability. I purchased a new cell phone myself recently, and off the top of my head I couldn’t even tell you whether or not it supports Bluetooth. Add in the people who have Bluetooth on their PDAs, laptops, and in their cars, and maybe half of those 500 million devices that support Bluetooth actually see the technology used. That isn’t just a guess that I made up; that’s Michael Foley’s best guess, and it’s his job to know these things.
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