Bluetooth bites into the mainstream

Bluetooth-enabled devices are poised to enter mainstream markets as sales of equipment supporting the technology will see a 60 per cent compound annual growth rate between 2003 and 2008.

A report from In-Stat/MDR noted that Bluetooth mobile phones, PDAs and headsets have been making significant sales gains over the past year.

The analyst firm also found sales of Bluetooth kit taking off in the automotive market and the emerging sector of personal mobile gateway products.

"Most of the end-use markets for this technology seem to be making significant headway," said Joyce Putscher, director of In-Stat/MDR's converging markets and technologies group.

Putscher added that hands-free regulations and car manufacturers are helping to drive the movement toward Bluetooth cordless headsets.

Consumers will be able to use them with a multitude of products, from mobile phones to digital audio players and game devices, PCs and office phones.

The report indicated that products compliant with the Bluetooth 1.2 version that includes the Adaptive Frequency Hopping profile will emerge this year.

But the study predicted that even by 2008, mobile phones will still be the most common device to feature Bluetooth.