IoT is a very popular application for electronic products today. At a time when most all electronic products are connected, technology appealing to low energy consumption of Bluetooth can serve the interconnection of battery-powered devices. Indeed, Bluetooth has emerged as the standard for portable electronic devices. This report from Murata covers trends in the development for Bluetooth lower energy applications with a focus on Bluetooth Low Energy, or BLE.
Bluetooth® Low Energy Technology allows for longer operation time for battery-powered products. Also known as Bluetooth® LE, or BLE, it is a Wireless PAN or WPAN technology designed and sold by Bluetooth SIG. As compared with the Classic Bluetooth, the BLE yields the same performance in communication within the same range with efficient use of energy and low cost.
The low energy features of BLE enable applications from wearables to IoT devices. With the use of a button cell, BLE allows device operation for months and even years. It is compact in size and low in cost, and it’s compatible with most cell phones, tablet PCs, and even PCs. According to the forecast by Bluetooth SIG, more than 90% of the smart phones sold in 2018 with Bluetooth will support BLE.