Signature Q1 2009 - (Page 3) Connect | Photography by Paul Marko | Q1 ’09 In case you weren’t aware, we’re living in a virtual web of wireless connectivity. It’s become part and parcel with who we are and how we live. Not convinced? First, consider the more than 2 billion Bluetooth enabled products in the market today, and then take a look at a few statistics. Worldwide, there are more than 3.3 billion mobile phone users (as of December 2007). That’s roughly half of the world population. In fact, more than 50 countries have mobile phone penetration numbers exceeding 100 percent, with Luxembourg setting the record at 158 percent. By contrast, the United States comes in at a relatively low 85 percent, but even that number is staggering to those of us who recall the early days of mobile phones. Here’s another way to look at how mobile phones have taken root in our daily lives. More than 2.5 billion text messages are sent in the United States every day. In 1995, the average text message rate was 0.4 messages per subscriber per month. Why the emphasis on mobile phones? Because they have the distinction of being the most common electronic device in the world. When you consider that 55 percent of all mobile phones sold today are Bluetooth enabled, and with the Bluetooth high speed and low energy specifications scheduled for completion in 2009, the technology will quickly move from mobile phone as convenience to mobile phone as a hub for a nearly infinite range of new applications, from health sensors to high speed video streaming. This issue of SIGnature magazine focuses on Bluetooth technology’s pervasiveness. From the ocean (p. 18) and the classroom (p. 20) to headsets (p. 11) and sports gear (p. 30), it’s clear that Bluetooth technology is everywhere you are. That’s the whimsical meaning of our cover photo. But the image is also an analogy. Man landed on the moon in 1969 in response to the stirring vision articulated in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy, who believed the project could “organize and measure the best of our energies and skills.” We at the Bluetooth SIG share a similar vision: that, together, we can make Bluetooth technology a solution for virtually any electronic device that consumers use in their personal space (or outer space). The past 11 years have proven the viability and flexibility of the technology, and we look forward to even more opportunity in the years to come. Share your thoughts at signature@bluetooth.com. A Total Solution It’s amazing how quickly mobile connectivity has become a standard for many rather than a luxury for an elite few. Bluetooth technology is poised to take that standard to a new level by serving as a gateway to everything. Experience More Mike Foley Executive Director Bluetooth Special Interest Group Bluetooth Special Interest Group | 3
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.