Roger Fingas
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group on Tuesday announced Apple's advancement to Promoter Member status, giving the company even more say over the future of the Bluetooth wireless standard.
As a Promoter, Apple will have a permanent seat on the SIG's board of directors, and the ability to vote on corporate-level affairs. There are relatively few other companies at the Promoter level — the only others are Intel, Ericsson, Microsoft, Toshiba, Lenovo, and Nokia.
Even firms like ARM and Broadcom, which design products with integrated Bluetooth receivers, are classified only as Associate members. Apple became an Associate in 2011.
A prepared statement from the chairman of the SIG board, Toby Nixon, said that Apple has "long been a key participant in the Bluetooth ecosystem," providing "guidance and knowledge" to the Group.
All of Apple's flagship products now offer Bluetooth support, including Macs and iOS devices. The company is in fact becoming even more dependent on the standard, since the Apple Watch pairs with an iPhone via the technology, and iBeacons — which pop up iPhone notifications, typically advertising, in physical spaces — are triggered via Bluetooth Low Energy.
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
8 Comments
Despite all the flak Apple gets over their proprietary connectors and what not, the company's products are surprisingly standards based. The Mac, iPhone, iPad and Watch all have Bluetooth, and Apple uses it in all their wireless Mac peripherals (mouse & keyboard). Over in the PC world, Bluetooth is not as widespread. For example Microsoft continues to sell non-Bluetooth proprietary wireless interfaces keyboards, mice, and game controllers for Xbox One, for example. Whereas Apple MFi and Sony PS3/PS4 controllers use Bluetooth.
Ah great, now maybe we'll have a Bluetooth protocol specifically designed for transmitting GPS data from a GPS-equipped device such as an iPhone to an unequipped ones such as most iPads. That'd make location-aware features more valuable.
Despite all the flak Apple gets over their proprietary connectors and what not, the company's products are surprisingly standards based. The Mac, iPhone, iPad and Watch all have Bluetooth, and Apple uses it in all their wireless Mac peripherals (mouse & keyboard). Over in the PC world, Bluetooth is not as widespread. For example Microsoft continues to sell non-Bluetooth proprietary wireless interfaces keyboards, mice, and game controllers for Xbox One, for example. Whereas Apple MFi and Sony PS3/PS4 controllers use Bluetooth.
Apple's implementation of Bluetooth is the flakiest and most inconvenient of any brand of products I own.
[quote name="cnocbui" url="/t/186880/apple-gains-more-influence-over-bluetooth-standard-with-promoter-member-status#post_2739330"] Apple's implementation of Bluetooth is the flakiest and most inconvenient of any brand of products I own. [/quote] You're also one of the biggest trolls on this forum, as well as a constant Samsung cheerleader, so I don't think a single person takes a damn thing you say seriously.
Just got a company issued iphone6. Can I transfer files between it and my iphone5 w/o internet and w/o any special apps installed (not allowed to install any apps on the company phone)? by just using the bluetooth? My buddy said sure, but couldn't figure out how.