Bluetooth has been around for 20 years now. The technology has had a major impact on the world at that time and has found its way to various devices. According to various experts at Bluetooth World 2018, we’re going to see much more of the technology in the years to come.
According to a forecast by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, almost 4 billion Bluetooth devices are already being sold this year. Almost every smartphone, tablet and laptop sold this year uses the technology. In the coming years, however, there will be many more applications, according to experts versus Silicon Angle.
For example, the technology is used for smart buildings. Thanks to mesh networking, it is a significant boost for automation systems for construction work. It is also an important technology for saving energy and security systems.
Cars and shops
In a shopping centre in the American state of Minnesota, Bluetooth is also widely used. The mall’s IT department wanted to improve the shopping experience by creating a smartphone app that tells visitors how to get there.
Initially, the idea of an own WiFi network was considered, but this proved difficult due to the different standards of devices. That is why it was decided to install 700 beacons connected to Bluetooth in the shopping centre. App users can therefore see where they are in the complex and get context about what is in the neighbourhood. There are also plans for a route description in the parking garage.
Bluetooth is also used by car manufacturers. Five years ago, Ford Motor made its AppLink software open source and started a coalition with other manufacturers to implement SmartDeviceLink. SmartDeviceLink is a connection between the in-car entertainment systems and applications on smartphones. Large technology companies came up with similar options. For example, Google introduced Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Security
However, Bluetooth also has a drawback: it still leaves a lot to be desired in terms of security. A year ago, Armis Security published documentation on the various vulnerabilities that bluetooth implementations in iOS, Android, Windows and Linux encountered. The vulnerabilities have been closed by various manufacturers. But 2 billion devices are still expected to be vulnerable.
Researchers also found a potentially dangerous vulnerability in the technology, allowing personal data of Android and iOS users to leak. The problems have now been solved.
This news article was automatically translated from Dutch to give Techzine.eu a head start. All news articles after September 1, 2019 are written in native English and NOT translated. All our background stories are written in native English as well. For more information read our launch article.
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