Gadgets

Will WiFi Direct kill Bluetooth?

Q: Key Point 1: Last week, the Wi-Fi Alliance announced Wi-Fi Direct -- a...

Last week, the Wi-Fi Alliance announced Wi-Fi Direct -- a peer-to-peer wireless networking method that could replace what we commonly know today as Ad Hoc networking mode.

Q: Key Point 3: One such example is our tutorial here -- How to...

One such example is our tutorial here -- How to share 3G Internet over WiFi.

Abe Olandres October 20, 2009 · 1 min read

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Last week, the Wi-Fi Alliance announced Wi-Fi Direct — a peer-to-peer wireless networking method that could replace what we commonly know today as Ad Hoc networking mode.

With Ad Hoc, we can usually share internet connection of one computer to other computers thru the built-in WiFi. One such example is our tutorial here — How to share 3G Internet over WiFi.

wifi direct

The new protocol (Wi-Fi Direct) will allow any device that implements the standard to connect directly to another device to send and receive data. It feels like the standard it gunning at Bluetooth. Imagine being able to share the internet connection of your mobile phone to all other devices via WiFi? You can also transfer files at the same time.

If Bluetooth has a normal transfer rate of about 2Mbps, WiFi Direct could reach 54Mbps or even higher. On top of that, wireless connections can go even further, in the hundreds of meters perhaps. Only drawback could be the amount of power it consumes compared to running Bluetooth.

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Abe Olandres

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Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

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12 Comments

Agrimensor · 17 years ago

No.The peripheral capability of bluetooth is its strongest point.Having to use it for internet is just a bonus.And I dont see wi-fi touching that area.

Anonymous · 17 years ago

I would say no, Bluetooth will stay for some application such as headset, GPS receiver, input devices (keyboard, mouse, etc.), printers, proximity lock and other devices that requires short range distance. For sure BT has lots to offer as stated by ‘Erin’ about its lower power consumption. And in the future an increase on bandwidth and data rate are possible.

Jhay · 17 years ago

And I thought Wi-Fi would not develop any further. Regardless of Bluetooth being killed or not, a new step forward in wireless technology is always a good thing.

Dave Starr · 17 years ago

The potential TI refinement is indeed noteworthy. (od course, if it happens).

However there is nothing about the technology, per se, that make Wi-Fi more or less power consumptive. Bluetooth has always struck me as a vastly over designed ‘propeller head’ sort of spec, designed by a committee of engineers, each one demanding that his special contribution be thrown into the mix. And then at the end of the day it does what? Replaces the free copper wire that connects my head set to my phone? Wow, nearly as impressive as a moon mission, that .. replaces a half a meter of wire.

The current distance record for Wi-Fi is well up in the hundreds of miles … yes you read that right. So the reason to have Bluetooth when low powered ad hoc Wi-Fi can do the same job, better? I have no idea.

Since the first day I saw the Bluetooth spec the concept of a self-licking ice cream cone has stuck in my mind .. definitely a solution in search of a requirement. Nice toy, though.

Erin · 17 years ago

its a contender but there is another bluetooth innovation up the horizon. Texas Instruments just announced[1] a miniaturized bluetooth chip that would sip very little power (one year on a single button cell battery). if this proves to be true then it can extend the life of bluetooth as a short-range wireless transfer protocol.

[1] http://j.mp/HEZka

ciao!

Eizan · 17 years ago

I dunno, probably in the long run, yes, but it’s too early to say it will kill the Bluetooth technology in the country. Afterall, not everyone owns a 3G/Wifi-enabled phone.