Countering claims that the technology has yet to gain a foothold, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group reported shipments of the short-range wireless technology exceeded 1 million units per week worldwide during the third quarter, according to Bluetooth semiconductor volume tracking service provider IMS Research.
The Bluetooth SIG said the growth was significant because the general consumer audience is still largely unaware of the technology that is becoming increasingly standard in a number of consumer electronics, including mobile phones, headsets and personal digital assistants.
Bluetooth SIG Executive Director Mike McCamon also attributed the growth to the organization’s Five Minute Ready program, which was launched last December and has been criticized by some analysts as too time intensive for consumers. McCamon acknowledged that while five minutes may be too long a time frame for consumers to set pair Bluetooth devices, it was an important initiative at the time to focus Bluetooth product developers on the importance of usability.
“The Five Minute Ready program was a challenge that this industry issued to itself,” McCamon said. “With eyes wide open, a collective commitment was made to take this technology to the next level and deliver its promise to consumers.”
Some Bluetooth industry analysts defended the technology, noting the shipment milestone was achieved in a relatively short time frame.
“Bluetooth has hit a major milestone in its evolution as the technology enters the maturity stage of its lifecycle,” said Michael Wall, industry analyst at Frost & Sullivan. “A stable specification and installed base that runs into millions of units is proof that it has been a success. Even critics would be hard-pressed to name any other wireless communications technology that managed to achieve the volumes and diversity of deployment of Bluetooth in just six years.”
While Bluetooth backers still expect wireless handsets to drive the adoption of the technology, McCamon said Bluetooth should see increased consumer recognition in the near future as a number of automobile manufacturers begin offering Bluetooth-enabled handsfree kits. The manufacturers include Toyota/Lexus, Ford/Lincoln, DaimlerChrysler, Audi, Acura, General Motors and BMW.
The technology took a hit earlier this month when a security analyst at research firm @Stake Inc. released a report highlighting flaws in the Bluetooth protocol that could allow hackers to access Bluetooth-enabled devices. McCamon admitted there were small windows in the pairing process that could allow a hacker to infiltrate a device, but it would prove difficult due to the short range of the technology. The Bluetooth SIG recommends users pair devices in private if possible to avoid the hacking potential.
