Nokia Introduces Wibree Technology To Compete With Bluetooth

Nokia Introduces Wibree Technology To Compete With Bluetooth

In order to address the various issues that have been unattended to by the contemporary wireless technology, researchers at Nokia have initiated to develop a new wireless technology based on Bluetooth standard. The Wibree technology promises to complement the Bluetooth technology in smaller devices such as heart rate monitors, wireless keyboards, wrist watches, sports sensors and toys. The Wibree technology would consume less power and is cost-effective compared to the Bluetooth.

Wibree can be named as an open technology, the first of its kind to offer the capability to connect personal computers or mobile devices like wireless keyboards, watches, sports sensors and toys that operate on small button shaped battery cells. Like the Bluetooth, Wibree uses 2.45 GHz bandwidth and can transfer data at 1Mbps up to a range of 10 meters. However, Wibree only consumes a fraction of power required for the Bluetooth. Thus Wibree gives the advantage of long battery life and enables the transmission of small amounts of data using the Bluetooth technology at low cost.

Wibree technology can be executed by two methods. The Wibree chips that implement Stand-alone technology are suitable for small devices such as wireless keyboards and mouse, toys and sensors. The Wibree chips that implement Bluetooth-Wibree dual mode technology are intended for mobile phones so the user can benefit from the high speed of Bluetooth and the ability of Wibree to connect to small wireless devices. Also the battery power consumption will be less.

Nokia released the Wibree technology to the public in 2006 and said that the Wibree products could be released by mid 2007. Towards accomplishing this, Nokia has been working with CSR, Nordic Semiconductor, Broadcom, Epson and other companies. Nokia is trying to promote the Wibree technology as a complement to the existing Bluetooth and has denied that it is not a replacement to the Bluetooth. Bluetooth is beneficial for data-intensive applications involving transfer of files and audio, while Wibree is suitable for transfer of lesser amounts of data. Hence combining both the technologies the user can achieve low power consuming connectivity to smaller wireless devices.