HELSINKI, Finland—Nokia Corp. introduced a new short-range radio technology called Wibree that the company said transfers data at speeds of 10 megabits per second and uses only a fraction of the power needed for Bluetooth.
Nokia is touting Wibree as an alternative to Bluetooth—which was primarily developed by Nokia rival L.M. Ericsson—that can extend connectivity to small devices within a range of about 33 feet. The company claims that the new technology’s lower-than-Bluetooth power consumption will allow cell phones and other devices to connect to small, battery-powered gadgets such as watches, wireless keyboards, toys and sports sensors.
Nokia said it is pushing Wibree to market as quickly as it can by offering it as an open industry initiative. The company is working with several other vendors, including chipmaker Broadcom Corp., to define an interoperability standard for Wibree. The company said the first commercial version of the specification to be available during the second quarter of next year.
Bob Iannucci, head of Nokia Research Center, commented, “Our aim is to establish an industry standard faster than ever before by offering an interoperable solution that can be commercialized and incorporated into products quickly.”
Though Wibree seems destined to compete for market share with Bluetooth technology, Nokia claimed its new offering actually complements other short-range connectivity technologies. Nokia said Wibree is designed to easily integrate with Bluetooth solutions via a dual-mode chip.
Other members of Nokia’s Wibree standards effort include CSR Plc, Epson, Amer Sports’ Suunto and Taiyo Yuden Co. Ltd.
