While location is all the rage right now whether in a cellphone, dedicated PND or mobile internet device, ABI Research says that Bluetooth will be the critical feature in mobile internet devices by the end of this year. Expected to reach a 95% penetration rate by the year’s end, Bluetooth as an MID feature will be the next biggy after WiFi and prior to ultra-wideband (UWB), essentially a more powerful form of Bluetooth.
Right now Bluetooth is the spark behind the 167% estimated annual compound growth rate in the MID market expected for the next five years. While ABI Research expects many MID owners to still carry cellphones mainly because they’re smaller, there’s a large population that wants an all-in-one device and Bluetooth’s wireless configuration makes the MID a convenient choice.
The growing pervasiveness of Bluetooth has some positive ramifications for the navigation market as well. While touchscreens are the user interface of choice at the moment, one day we’re sure all of your navigation needs will be met entirely by voice!
via techon
