Apple iOS and OS X Updates Introduce Native Bluetooth® Smart Support

Apple have announced at their Worldwide Developer Conference that iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks will natively support the Human Interface Device (HID) profile for Bluetooth® Low Energy (previously known as Bluetooth® Smart). This means consumers can expect extremely power-efficient Bluetooth Low Energy game controllers and keyboards that last years without changing batteries.

Apple also announced the launch of Air Drop, which uses Bluetooth Low Energy technology to securely discover and connect devices for file sharing, and its Application State Preservation and Restoration services and Apple Notification Center Service for Bluetooth Low Energy accessories.

The inclusion of Application State Preservation and Restoration services makes it possible to create apps that reliably run in the background, exchanging data with Bluetooth Low Energy peripherals without the need for user intervention. This enables a Bluetooth Low Energy device such as a wearable health monitor to send data to an application on an iPhone or iPad without the user having to press any buttons or open up the application. This should lead to the development of a wide range of new “appcessory” products that leverage the power of the mobile phone, but combine it with external hardware, to open up all kinds of new possibilities!