Kirkland, Washington – May 20, 2014 – Bluetooth Smart technology is fueling the explosive growth of the Internet of Things as it is integrated into millions of new devices daily – adding connectivity to everyday objects to make people’s lives easier and more efficient. The Bluetooth Smart Starter Kit, announced today from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), is a comprehensive training package with hands-on labs, sample source code and videos targeted at developers. The kit takes the mystery out of adding wireless connectivity to your device and its accompanying application, allowing developers to easily take advantage of the rising popularity of Bluetooth Smart.
“There are more than three billion smartphones on the market right now, all with different operating systems, architecture and specs. But the one thing they almost all have in common is Bluetooth,” said Suke Jawanda, Bluetooth SIG CMO. “If you want your product to connect to these devices, not to mention future ones, you need to build with Bluetooth Smart. Our Smart Starter Kit takes the guesswork out of adding connectivity to a device, cuts time to market for developers and brings wireless convenience to consumers faster than ever before.”
The Bluetooth Smart Starter Kit uses hands-on labs to walk developers through building a Bluetooth Smart device and creating a Bluetooth Smart Ready mobile application. The free kit is designed to work with an Arduino board (not included) and includes sample code to get developers up and running. The Smart Starter Kit works regardless of what platform you are building for – Android, iOS, or Windows Phone.
“Global shipments of Bluetooth Smart semiconductors increased by a factor of five in 2013, to 42.9 million units,” said Lee Ratliff, Principal Analyst, Connectivity and IoT at IHS. “Looking forward, IHS forecasts a 67% compound annual growth rate in worldwide shipments from 2013 to 2018. This degree of growth has product developers across the continent eager to get up to speed on the technology – any tool that helps developers learn how to build Bluetooth Smart into their devices makes it that much easier to bring innovative products to market quickly.”
The Bluetooth Smart Starter Kit is the newest component of the Bluetooth Developer Program on-demand offering, which also includes the Application Accelerator and Developer Portal. The program also hosts the Bluetooth Innovation Series – the only in-person, one-day training moderated by Bluetooth experts to get you building with Bluetooth Smart immediately available today. Registration for upcoming events in Beijing, China (June 4), and London, UK (June 19) is open now. For more information on all the Bluetooth SIG developer initiatives, as well as to register for the Bluetooth Innovation Series, visit developer.bluetooth.com.
About Bluetooth® Wireless Technology
Bluetooth wireless technology is the global wireless standard enabling simple, secure connectivity for an expanding range of devices and serves as the backbone of the connected world. Bluetooth Smart technology, through an updatable platform and low power consumption, creates new application opportunities for the mobile phone, consumer electronics, PC, automotive, health & fitness and smart home industries. With over two billion devices shipping annually, Bluetooth is the wireless technology of choice for developers, product manufacturers, and consumers worldwide. Backed by industry leading companies, the Bluetooth SIG empowers over 20,000 member companies to collaborate, innovate and guide Bluetooth wireless technology. For more information, please visit www.bluetooth.com.
