Bluetooth Shipments Double in Four Months

For a long time, BlueTooth's most notable feature was its marketplace absence that was in direct contrast to the hype, but after a very slow start, it is gathering momentum like a runaway train. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced that the Bluetooth market has passed the impressive milestone of 9.5 million Bluetooth units shipping per week. In May, the shipment figures were 4.75 million per week according to IMS Research and in September -- only four months later -- this figure had doubled, exceeding even the most optimistic analyst projections. Serving as an advocate to the industry as well as the consumer, the Bluetooth SIG has designed a number of consumer programs in order to satisfy the needs of the booming market and further secure a first-class user experience of Bluetooth wireless technology.

"By doubling the Bluetooth shipments in just four months, Bluetooth technology has once again proved itself as the wireless technology for the personal area network," said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director of the Bluetooth SIG. "As the market is thriving, the Bluetooth SIG listens to the needs of the market, while aiming to improve the positive user experience. Our new consumer programs encourage similar implementations for different product categories and enhance the users' understanding of expected performance."

The intent of the new consumer programs is to recognize, manage and encourage people's expectations of their Bluetooth experience. All four programs are directed at the various ways consumers gather information and make buying decisions for Bluetooth enabled products.

Experience icons is a ubiquitous cross-industry communications tool for product manufacturers to communicate Bluetooth capabilities in products, achieving more informed purchase decisions by consumers and thus managing expectations. With the use of the experience icons in conjunction with the Bluetooth trademark, consumers can easily identify the capability of Bluetooth enabled products.

Bluetooth.com is the official website where the industry and consumers alike can gather all relevant information about Bluetooth wireless technology. By early next year, the Bluetooth SIG launches a website aimed at facilitating education, and providing improved navigation, structure, search and unique tools that will help consumers understand the Bluetooth capabilities of various products.

User Terminology is a document with common user terminology recommended for manufacturing companies to use. The need for such a document has sprung out of the thousands of products produced by various manufacturers and the need to assure common terms and interfaces being used between manufacturers on a worldwide basis. The user terminology document is translated into 34 different languages and is intended to be used in consumer audience materials by Bluetooth members.

Best of Breed is a set of guidelines laid out for two types of Bluetooth implementations in different product categories: Basic and Best of Breed. In mobile phones, for instance, the Bluetooth SIG will publish the profiles recommended for the most comprehensive user experience in a Basic and a Best of Breed Mobile Phone. Products meeting the Best of Breed implementation will be featured in various areas of the redesigned Bluetooth.com site.

About Bluetooth Wireless Technology

Bluetooth wireless technology is revolutionizing the personal connectivity market by providing freedom from wired connections. It is a globally available standard that wirelessly connects mobile phones, portable computers, cars, stereo headsets, MP3 players, and more. The technology is now available in its fourth version of the core specification and continues to develop, building on its inherent strengths -- small-form factor radio, low power, low cost, built-in security, robustness, ease-of-use, and ad hoc networking abilities. Bluetooth wireless technology is the leading and only proven short-range wireless technology on the market today.

http://www.bluetooth.com/