Mobile Users will be Winners with High Speed Bluetooth

(Business News & Technology News, 24 Apr 2008)

"High Speed Bluetooth", the combination of Wi-Fi (802.11) and Bluetooth technologies, is certain to benefit users who transfer large multimedia files between wireless devices such as cellular handsets.

According to Douglas McEuen, senior analyst at ABI Research, Bluetooth penetration in cellular handsets is at an all-time high, but the technology has a short range and fairly low data transfer capabilities. "Users' growing desire to share pictures, audio, and video makes demands on Bluetooth that it was never designed to handle," says McEuen.

In line with this, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group has announced a technology—High Speed Bluetooth—that hands off transmissions of large data files (such as multimedia) to the faster 802.11 radios that are increasingly found in the same Bluetooth-equipped devices. When that extra throughput is no longer needed, Bluetooth automatically takes over again, resulting in power savings.

The first iteration of the new technology will be a software upgrade that will allow the two existing radios to work together. Later, some come companies will attempt to put both radios in one package or on one chip.

But don't expect to add High Speed Bluetooth to your existing mobile phone, even if it has Wi-Fi as well. The software upgrade will debut in new handsets and other devices expected to appear late in 2008.

The industry is getting on board, too. At least two chipmakers, Texas Instruments and CSR, are working on the software upgrade, and handset OEMs will be able to incorporate High Speed Bluetooth easily and economically.

Click here for more information on the report "Bluetooth Over 802.11" from ABI Research