Apple og Nordic Semiconductor i Bluetooth toppen
Apple og Nordic Semiconductorer er på hver deres måde blandt de toneangivende på Bluetooth markedet, og repræsentanter fra de to firmaer er nu blevet valgt ind i Bluetooth SIG bestyrelsen (in english).
The Bluetooth SIG has announced two new members to its board of directors, with representatives from Apple and Nordic Semiconductor joining. So why add these two companies to an exclusive group of seven? Simply because they are currently two of the most influential companies in the Bluetooth world.The Bluetooth market is forecast to grow to 1.4 billion unit shipments in 2011. Penetration rates are already high (over 50%) in handsets and portable computing devices, two applications forecast to account for almost 80% of Bluetooth IC shipments this year.
- With a strong position in both of these markets, Apple is on the way to becoming the single biggest consumer of Bluetooth ICs in the world, says Research Director Alex West.
- Combining the 2010 sales of the iPad, iPhone, and various other products such as the Mac and iPod touch, it is estimated that over 80 million Bluetooth enabled Apple devices were sold (in its FY through to end of September 2010). This is set to rise significantly in 2011, with strong 1Q11 sales of the iPad and iPhone already reported.
However, the Bluetooth SIG has been active in seeking to diversify use of Bluetooth into new markets. Bluetooth low energy is the bridge to a range of new markets, with opportunities in markets ranging from proximity tags, to healthcare monitors, to home entertainment solutions now addressable.
The market for single mode Bluetooth low energy is forecast to grow to 150 million units shipped in 2015. Nordic has been at the forefront of the development of this, and with the release of the Nordic µBlue chip, it was the first supplier of single mode Bluetooth low energy ICs to be included in a module.
Since the technology’s inception 13 years ago, changes to the Bluetooth SIG board have been few and far between. However, IMS Research believes these two new additions will give the board a new dimension that should help drive the technology into these new applications and devices. The SIG’s target of 5 billion device shipments in 2015 may look challenging, but having Apple and Nordic at the centre of the organisation will only help.
