27th September 2005 - 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. 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 indicates 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.
  

This Market Alert is drawn from the In-Stat report, "Bluetooth 2005: The Future is Here", which 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 Residential Technology Survey. Brief profiles of major Bluetooth silicon suppliers are also provided.

Back to News Reports