Bluetooth grows in popularity

Johannesburg, 30 Mar 2007

A survey released by Millward Brown has revealed that Bluetooth technology, the global standard in short-range wireless communications, continues to grow in popularity with an average of 81% of consumers aware of the technology.

2 700 consumers between the ages of 18 and 70 responded to the survey. They came from the United States, United Kingdom, mainland China, Germany, Japan and Taiwan. An average of 81% of consumers polled had heard of Bluetooth technology, up from 73% in 2005.

China, Germany, Taiwan and the UK had an especially high awareness of Bluetooth, with 88-96%. The US showed the highest increase, from 58% in 2005 to 74% in 2006. The survey was conducted for the first time in mainland China, and showed the region to have a strong familiarity with wireless technologies, including a reported 93% awareness of Bluetooth in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.

The study indicated that consumers are beginning to understand the variety of uses for Bluetooth beyond the headset to mobile phone connection. It also showed that awareness of additional use cases, especially the ability to send files and other data via Bluetooth technology, is on the rise in all areas.

It was revealed that Bluetooth products were the most purchased wireless technology products across the board. In line with this purchasing information is an increase in products qualified through the Bluetooth SIG Qualification Program in 2006. 356 different companies qualified 993 products in 2006, up about 20% from 2005.

The survey exposed Japan as an area with work left to do as consumer awareness of all wireless technologies was lower than expected, with awareness of Bluetooth wireless technology at approximately 50% for the second year. However, according to the survey, Bluetooth is the most widely known wireless technology on the market in all six regions surveyed.

This is the fourth year in which the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has commissioned Millward Brown to conduct an independent study on consumer awareness, attitude and usage of Bluetooth wireless technology.