Bluetooth is firmly established as a short-range wireless solution for voice and data transmission, as 2005 will be the fourth consecutive year in which Bluetooth-enabled product shipments more than double, reports In-Stat. This year’s shipments are forecast to be 316 million units, a total that will rise to 866 million in 2009, the high tech market research firm says. “Mobile phones are at the core of Bluetooth’s popularity,” says Brian O’Rourke, In-Stat analyst. “They are in turn helping Bluetooth penetrate into other products, including notebook PCs, mono and stereo headsets, automobiles and portable digital music players.”


A recent report by In-Stat found the following:

  • Bluetooth will need to constantly adapt in the face of competition that includes wireless USB, Wireless 1394 and Wi-Fi.
  • Results from In-Stat’s Residential Technology Survey (RTS) of typical US consumers indicate increasing recognition of Bluetooth and significant interest in cordless stereo headsets.
  • Chips complying with Bluetooth 2.0 + Enhanced data Rate (EDR) are beginning to hit the market in 2005, providing both greater bandwidth and lower power consumption.

The report, “Bluetooth 2005: The Future is Here,” provides analysis and five-year unit shipment and revenue forecasts for all Bluetooth-enabled products, including those in the PC, communications and consumer electronics segments. The report also contains responses on Bluetooth and wireless headsets from In-Stat’s annual RTS. Brief profiles of major Bluetooth silicon suppliers are also provided.