Wifi Revolution

Two enhancements in development will allow the Bluetooth wireless technology to handle much larger amounts of data at much higher speeds.

 

This will significantly increase Bluetooth’s usefulness, making it a kind of multi-purpose “Swiss Army Knife” among protocols, and entrenching its already strong position in portable electronics.

 

“The Bluetooth SIG has announced work on what they call an alternate MAC PHY – ‘AMP’ – which will be a combination of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi,” says ABI Research (News - Alert) senior analyst Douglas McEuen. “It will be a software upgrade for devices equipped with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chips, allowing Bluetooth to utilize Wi-Fi when larger files must be transmitted. Once that transfer is complete, it will fall back to standard Bluetooth.”

 

A recent ABI research study, “Bluetooth: The Global Outlook,” addresses all major applications and variations of Bluetooth and discusses other wireless connectivity IC integration. Providing the most comprehensive look at the Bluetooth market available today, the report also includes extensive analysis of the equipment and semiconductor markets.

 

 The long-term goal in the cellular market is to enable Bluetooth to work with ultra-wideband (UWB) as an integrated solution, for an even faster transfer of larger files. That would open the possibility of the Bluetooth platform as a video connectivity solution.

 

“The SIG is trying to position Bluetooth as a kind of catch-all platform that can do everything,” McEuen adds. “Classic Bluetooth will take care of your voice applications. AMP Bluetooth will allow you that extra kick when you need it. And further down the road, high-speed Bluetooth with UWB will offer huge data rates.”

 

Some products incorporating the AMP-enhanced Bluetooth may be in the market early next year. For UWB, a more likely time frame is the end of 2009 or early 2010 for the first sample products. Portable media devices will probably be the first sweet spot, since these are devices that are using “classic” Bluetooth already.

 

It is part of the firm’s Short Range Wireless Research Service, (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/Short_Range_Wireless_ Research_Service), which also includes other Research Reports, ABI Insights, and analyst inquiry support.

 

ABI Research is a leading market research firm focused on the impact of emerging technologies on global consumer and business markets. For information, visit www.abiresearch.com

Back to WiFi Revolution home