Bluetooth 4.0 is almost ready for launch, and it’s bringing with it the ability to run wireless gadgets for months at a time without the need for a recharge. The wireless tech boasts a new low energy mode feature which extends battery life, making it much more suitable for gadgets like watches and remote controls.
Bluetooth 4.0, which is on course for a launch at the end of Q2 this year (that’s early summer, in other words), basically combines three specifications in one: classic Bluetooth wireless; high speed Bluetooth; and new Bluetooth low energy.
These attributes can be combined in different ways to suit the product they’re used in. So for instance a sensor in a pedometer will use just the low energy tech, while a watch will combine that with classic Bluetooth when communicating with your PC. A Bluetooth-equipped laptop, meanwhile, will feature all three specifications.
And that’s not the only impressive thing about Bluetooth 4.0. It’s also capable of a huge range, far outreaching the 10m/30ft limit of classic Bluetooth. Manufacturers can tweak the range when designing a Bluetooth 4.0-equipped device, extending it to 200ft and beyond.
Gadgets featuring Bluetooth 4.0 are expected to go on the market in late 2010/early 2011.
Out TBC | £TBC | Bluetooth
