Home Bluetooth IoT devices tout new energy savings

Bluetooth IoT devices tout new energy savings

The industry organization that develops Bluetooth standards introduced a new energy-efficient specification for Internet of Things (IoT) devices last week, with the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) unveiling a new specification for devices that contain Bluetooth and other radios at the Bluetooth World conference.

According to IOT Journal, the new specification – dubbed Transport Discovery Service (TDS) – will allow more energy-efficient communication between IoT devices. The new specification is applicable to Bluetooth devices with Bluetooth Core Specification version 4.0 or later.

The stakes are high to improve energy efficiency as IoT technology rapidly continues its expansion and integration with Bluetooth. By 2020, a third of all IoT devices are expected to include a Bluetooth radio, according to ABI research.

“The idea here is to make it easy for any wireless technology to be relevant” in relation to IoT technology, said Bluetooth SIG’s VP of marketing Errett Kroeter.

Kroeter says the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) specification for connecting devices to the Internet is sparking increasing interest among connected device makers. He said the TDS offers the added benefit of conserve increased amounts of battery life of wireless devices.

bluetooth-iot-2

Bluetooth IoT energy-savings efforts have competition

However, for the TDS to become widely used, organizations like the ZigBee Alliance and the Wi-Fi Alliance must integrate TDS into their own protocols. Kroeter says that if there is collaboration with the Bluetooth SIG to develop and commercialize communications standards that make TDS functional, by early next year TDS could start appearing on the market.

Competing communications technologies are also working on the energy efficiency issue. The Wi-Fi Alliance announced a new type of Wi-Fi at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that’s meant to work on low-power devices, called Wi-Fi HaLow.

They intend to begin certifying HaLow products sometime in 2018, but may begin shipping shortly before then.

Besides the TDS specification, the Bluetooth SIG is developing a major update to the BLE Core Specification that will standardize the mesh networking protocol, double the data speed supported by BLE radios and quadruple radio range. The update, which won’t increase BLE devices’ power usage, is expected in the second half of 2016.

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.