The State of Bluetooth Technology in 2018 and Beyond

April 30, 2018
Dave Hollander
Audio, Automotive, Bluetooth Basic Rate/Enhanced Data Rate, Bluetooth Low Energy, Connected Device, Phone-Tablet-PC, Smart Building, Smart City, Smart Home, Smart Industry

2018 is a milestone year for Bluetooth^® technology. It’s been twenty years since Bluetooth first came on the wireless scene. Since then, the Bluetooth development community has helped push the limits of wireless communication and has been a key enabler of new markets. Over time, Bluetooth has become synonymous with multiple consumer markets, first in audio and entertainment; then phones, tablets, and PCs; followed by automotive; and later the connected device market.

Expanding With the IoT

As the demands of the Internet of Things (IoT) continue to grow, Bluetooth^® technology continues to expand its capabilities. Recent advancements in the technology have positioned Bluetooth to continue its growth beyond consumer-facing applications into new environments, such as smart buildings, smart industry, and smart cities.

Nearly 4 billion Bluetooth devices are forecasted to ship in 2018 alone.

In the last 18 months, we’ve seen the release and adoption of two major Bluetooth innovations. Bluetooth mesh, a network topology used for enabling the creation of large-scale device networks that control, monitor, and automate a building’s essential systems, and Bluetooth 5, the latest version of the Bluetooth core specification that significantly increases the range, speed, and broadcast messaging capacity of Bluetooth applications.

Bluetooth 5 is now native in the world’s leading smartphones, setting the stage for global adoption of those same features in peripherals, beacons, and key IoT devices. As such, nearly 4 billion Bluetooth devices are forecasted to ship in 2018 alone.

Major Market Impacts

What’s it all mean? The 2018 Bluetooth^® Market Update answers that question.

Released in April 2018, the Bluetooth Market Update is a comprehensive look at Bluetooth’s impact on everything from audio streaming to smart building automation. It is designed to help global IoT decision makers stay up to date on the role Bluetooth currently plays in their technical roadmap and will play in their markets. Supported by updated forecasts from ABI Research, the Bluetooth Market Update examines:

The growth and health of the Bluetooth SIG member community
The trajectory of Bluetooth technology, including trends and forecasts for each radio version and the key Bluetooth solution areas
New trends in traditional Bluetooth markets as well as forecasts in emerging markets in which Bluetooth is taking on an expanded role

New Trends in Wireless

The trends identified in the Bluetooth^® Market Update highlight the direction of the Bluetooth member community and technology as Bluetooth continues its expansion from a personal communication solution to an industrial-grade connectivity engine.

Want to know what’s new and next in Bluetooth technology? Download your copy of the 2018 Bluetooth Market Update today, and see how Bluetooth technology is impacting new and existing markets while helping to power a more connected future.

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Bluetooth^® Market Update

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