Classic Bluetooth Just Keeps Rolling Along, Says In-Stat
Bluetooth continues to be the most successful wireless interface technology ever. The recession that had limited the number of Bluetooth device shipments in 2009 lifted somewhat in 2010, with overall Bluetooth device shipments expected to outpace those of both 2008 and 2009, according to In-Stat. Classic Bluetooth, which represents both Bluetooth 1.x and Bluetooth 2.x, will comfortably exceed one billion devices shipped in 2010, led by its over 65% penetration of the mobile phone market.
"Other prominent markets for Classic Bluetooth include mobile PCs and headsets. An interesting fact about Classic Bluetooth is that its largest markets are also some of its largest growth markets," says Brian O'Rourke, Principal Analyst. "For example, mobile PCs, which was the third largest volume market for Bluetooth silicon in 2009, is expected to see Bluetooth penetration increase at a rate of 25% per year through 2014. Likewise, Bluetooth penetration of mobile phones is expected to exceed 20% annually over the same time frame."
One significant factor behind Bluetooth growth is increasingly lower prices driven by the economies of scale created by the aforementioned mobile phone market. Classic Bluetooth chip prices in volume are around $1. This compares with $20 chip solutions as recently as 2000.
In-Stat also surveyed 1,000 average US consumers in February 2010 on their awareness and usage of Bluetooth. They found that over one-third of respondents are either extremely or very familiar with Bluetooth, while only one-fifth were "not very" or not at all familiar with it.
In terms of usage, the top three consumer responses were mobile phones, mobile PCs, and mice/keyboards. Interestingly, Bluetooth mono headsets were only the seventh most popular response, despite the fact that it was the second highest volume Bluetooth product in 2009.
Two new Bluetooth standards are beginning to hit the market. Bluetooth 3.0 + High Speed combines Classic Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to transmit large data files. It was introduced in mobile phones in mid-2010. Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) is targeted at sports and medical devices, as well as PCs and mobile phones. The first LE devices will ship in 2011. Please note that the prospects for these two technologies were covered in a previous article, which can be accessed here: http://www.instat.com/infoalert.asp?Volname=Vol%20%23289
Overall, Bluetooth remains a very healthy interface technology, with total device shipments expected to exceed 2 billion in 2013.
For more information on In-Stat's latest Bluetooth report, Bluetooth 2010: Classic Dominance, LE Potential, and High-Speed Issues, please click on the following link: http://www.instat.com/abstract.asp?id=161&SKU=IN1004686MI
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In-Stat's market intelligence combines technical, market and end-user research and database models to analyze the Mobile Internet and Digital Entertainment ecosystems. Our insights are derived from a deep understanding of technology impacts, nearly 30 years of history in research and consulting, and direct relationships with leading players in each of our core markets. In-Stat provides its research through reports, annual subscriptions, consulting and advisory services to inform critical decisions. Technology vendors, equipment manufacturers, service providers and media companies worldwide rely on In-Stat to support critical business, product and technology decisions. For more information, visit www.in-stat.com.
SOURCE: In-Stat