That’s A Wrap,
Bluetooth World 2017

Last week in Santa Clara, California, Bluetooth World was host to more than 1,100 developers, executives, and start-ups. This year’s conference showcased how Bluetooth^® technology is rapidly evolving to meeting IoT needs, and what we can expect in the near and distant future. Developers were able to gain hands-on experience building the devices that will change the way we interact with technology in our everyday lives. You can check out #BluetoothWorld on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get more photos, videos, and insights into this year’s event. Here are our main takeaways:

Bluetooth is everywhere

More than 3 billion Bluetooth^® devices shipped in 2015, and it is projected that nearly 5 billion Bluetooth devices will ship in 2019. As we saw on the show floor, Bluetooth is the standard for all smart phones, laptops, tablets, wireless audio, car connectivity, smart health and fitness products, and a number of other everyday devices. In fact, Wireless Registry’s SignalGraph recorded a 100 percent increase in Bluetooth signals over just the last three-months. No wonder attendees were detecting a barrage of Bluetooth!

The physical web will take beacons to the next level

The Physical Web is an open approach to enable quick and seamless interactions with physical objects and locations – and at the heart of it are Bluetooth beacons. The Physical Web allows you to walk up and interact with any object (a parking meter, a toy, a poster) or location (a bus stop, a museum, a store) without installing an app first. With Bluetooth^® – and especially the increased advertising capacity of Bluetooth 5 – and the Physical Web, interactions are only a tap away.

Developers are excited about the endless possibilities Bluetooth offers

Packed developer sessions at this year’s event offered the newest techniques and tools for implementing Bluetooth^® technology (including Bluetooth 5). These practical sessions included step-by-step instructions for developing a custom Bluetooth peripheral and developing a Bluetooth application for Android and iOS using Apache Cordova, and were a big hit among the Bluetooth World developer crowd.

Want to learn more?

If you, too, are excited about all the possibilities of Bluetooth^® – whether it’s in audio, wearables, beacons, smart home, or industrial – please check out the Facebook Live recording of Bluetooth SIG Executive Director Mark Powell giving the Bluetooth World crowd a sneak peek at the future of Bluetooth.

And, if you are ready to develop with Bluetooth, we can get you started with information and development tool kits that will make the job of learning to build with Bluetooth wireless technology faster and easier. No matter what your experience level, we have the right kit to get you started Developer Resources & Tools section of our website.