KIRKLAND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Consumers, get ready. Beneath the cool new colors of your Apple mobile device home screen lie several Bluetooth bonuses waiting to be discovered:
| 1. |
Bluetooth Smart connectivity. Since the introduction of the iPhone 4S in 2011, Apple has been the poster child for Bluetooth Smart – that trend continues with Bluetooth Smart native support built into iOS 7. This is great for consumers because it makes it easier for developers to build energy-efficient appcessories – like Nike+ – that connect to your mobile device. And Apple doesn’t have the corner on this market – if you have an Android 4.3, Windows 8 or Blackberry 10 device you too can enjoy Bluetooth Smart appcessories. |
|||||
| 2. |
Bluetooth mobile payment. More of a possibility than a reality right now, the plumbing is included in iOS 7 for Apple to provide an easy way to pay with your phone, via Bluetooth Smart. This is a perfect example of the opportunities Bluetooth Smart in iOS 7 provides to developers – building ways for people to do more with the mobile devices we have with us all the time. |
|||||
| 3. |
Bluetooth toggle. In iOS 7, the ability to control Bluetooth is at your fingertips, not buried three screens in. Yet another way Apple is making it easier for everyone to use Bluetooth. |
|||||
|
4. |
Bluetooth usability. It’s been easy, but in iOS 7 it’s even easier for Bluetooth Smart devices to talk to each other. This means less work on your part – because of some really great plumbing in the technical details, a Bluetooth Smart product like a wearable health monitor can send its data to an app on an iPhone or iPad without you ever pressing a button or opening the application. Now that’s usability. |
|||||
“iOS 7 does a lot of things right, including its support for Bluetooth Smart,” said Suke Jawanda, CMO, Bluetooth SIG. “While Apple has been a big fan of Bluetooth Smart all along, this version of the OS standardizes the easiest path for Apple developers to make the most amazing Bluetooth Smart products – which makes consumers the big winner.”
So You Want to Build a Bluetooth Smart Appcessory
The Bluetooth SIG can help. The organization offers the Bluetooth Developer Portal and face-to-face training seminars dedicated to shortening the time-to-market for product and app developers building with Bluetooth. The SIG is hosting developer education tracks at upcoming training events in London and San Jose. The Bluetooth SIG has also opened registration for Bluetooth Application Accelerators for Android, Apple and Microsoft, consisting of an application and corresponding commented source code, documentation on major areas of functionality, and overview videos. To learn more about the Bluetooth Developer Portal and to register to receive the free Bluetooth Application Accelerator, visit http://developer.bluetooth.org/Pages/bluetooth-smart-developers.aspx
About Bluetooth® Wireless Technology
Bluetooth wireless technology is the global wireless standard enabling simple, secure connectivity for an expanding range of devices and serves as the backbone of the connected world. Bluetooth Smart Ready and Bluetooth Smart branded devices, through an updatable platform and low power consumption, create new application opportunities for the mobile phone, consumer electronics, PC, automotive, health & fitness and smart home industries. With over two billion devices shipping annually, Bluetooth is the wireless technology of choice for developers, product manufacturers, and consumers worldwide. Backed by industry leading companies, the Bluetooth SIG empowers over 19,000 member companies to collaborate, innovate and guide Bluetooth wireless technology. For more information please visit www.bluetooth.com.
