Not everyone is going to find this interesting, but the Bluetooth SIG, has announced some new features coming with the latest version of Bluetooth which is 4.1. The incremental change isn't a huge deal. But there are some nice changes in there.
The press release, which you can read here, talks about improving usability, Empowering Developer Innovation, and Enabling the internet of things. Which we'll touch briefly on each one. Bluetooth 4.1 extends the Bluetooth Brand promise to provide consumers with a simple experience that "just works". Some of the major usability updates are in three areas which are Coexistence, Better Connections and Improved data transfer. Bluetooth 4.1 also extends the Bluetooth Smart development environment by providing product and application developers with even more flexibility to create products that can take on multiple roles.
The Bluetooth SIG has also added a standard means to create a dedicated channel, which could be used for IPv6 communications in the Core Specification, the groundwork has also been laid for future protocols providing IP connectivity. The adoption of Bluetooth Smart and the coming addition of IP connectivity has been rapidly adopted, and all signs are pointing to Bluetooth as a fundamental wireless link in the internet of things. These updates make it possible for Bluetooth smart sensors to also use IPv6, giving developers and OEMs the flexibility they need to ensure connectivity and compatibility.
It's obvious that the Bluetooth SIG sees more potential in Bluetooth technology and I actually can't wait to see what else comes in future versions of Bluetooth. Hopefully some cool stuff, but I still think the future is in NFC. But we'll see what Bluetooth SIG comes up with in the next few months and years.
How many of you are excited to get Bluetooth 4.1 on your phone or tablet now? Hopefully it'll be incorporated in the next version of Android. But we'll see.