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Bluetooth: a slow burn not a big bang
Posted by WDN, May 30, 2001
The development of Bluetooth faces close scrutiny as
the reality of the technology fails to live up to the surrounding hype. Bluetooth,
backed by major players including Ericsson, Nokia, Intel, IBM and Toshiba, is behind
schedule and industry expectations, says Ovum the analyst and consulting company.
The hype about Bluetooth comes from venture capitalists, outside the IT&T industry who
misunderstood Bluetooth's deliverables and the reality of products being ready for the
market.
Bluetooth is a short range, low power radio technology which provides wireless links
between electronic devices. Applications currently being developed target enterprises
(wireless office) or public access solutions (information to PDAs in shopping malls or
airports).
New research from Ovum shows that much of the early analysis of Bluetooth has been
characterised by 'technological myopia,' ie an over-estimation of the short-term impact
of a new technology which ignores the long term effect.
Jeremy Green, Principal Consultant, outlines the immediate future for bluetooth. He
says:
" Ovum's research shows that the immediate future of bluetooth involves some much
needed, although unexciting, connectivity applications.
" The more futuristic applications, which are the source of much of the hype surrounding
Bluetooth, will have to wait until there is a user base to support them.
" Bluetooth will develop on a slow burn rather than the big bang that the current hype
suggests."
Industry interest in Bluetooth technology is immense with 2500 companies now members of
the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (BSI).
Despite this, devices utilising Bluetooth are developing slowly because of a lack of
industry readiness to take products beyond prototype phase and seriously invest in the
technology.
Jeremy Green explains:
" Ovum's research shows that despite huge waves of hype, it is only now that we are
starting to see Bluetooth enabled products coming onto the market.
" Many developers are waiting to see how early products take off before investing
significant money into developing new and innovative applications.
" The cautious approach by industry players results in a reduced supply and slower
up-take of the technology.
"Bluetooth technology is too affordable, and too useful not to succeed, but it will take
time and real commitment from the industry," he concludes.
White Papers
A white paper with detailed information about this topic is available by accessing the
Press Packs at www.ovum.com. If you do not have password access to the Press Room please
register online. Your request will be processed and access will be granted to all
accredited journalists.
About the report
A detailed report on this topic, "Bluetooth: Users, Applications and Technologies"
written by Jeremy Green, Rob Gear and Nick Harman is available for commercial purchase.
About Ovum
Ovum, the analyst and consulting company, is a global leader in the rapidly changing
world of converging technologies and markets. Genuinely original thinking coupled with
exceptional knowledge and experience allows the company to provide its customers with a
definitive map of this complex environment and to guide them through it.
A global company, headquartered in London, Ovum is the largest non-US analyst and
consulting company. With a phenomenal organic growth rate of 50% in the last 12 months,
the company achieved revenues in excess of $30 million in 2000 and increased its number
of analysts and consultants by 30%.
Ovum's analysts and consultants are located at centres of expertise in London, Boston,
Buenos Aires, Seoul, Melbourne and Sydney.
For further information, please contact:
In the UK or Europe:
Udeni Samarasekara
PR Executive
Tel +44 (0)20 7551 9238
Fax +44 (0)20 7551 9090
Email usr@ovum.com
Richard Creswell, Media and Events
Co-ordinator
Tel +44 (0) 20 7551 9027
Fax +44 (0) 20 7551 9090
Email: rjc@ovum.com
In North America:
Jennifer Glass, Press Officer
Tel +1 (781) 224 1307
Fax +1 (781) 246 7772 Email jhg@ovum.com
Or in the Pacific Rim:
Madeline Neylon, PR Manager
Tel +61 3 9691 3226
Fax +61 3 9606 0799
Email mxn@ovum.com
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