What Is Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)? Explained In 200 Words

Bluetooth Low Energy or Bluetooth Smart is a low power consumption and cost-effective wireless technology for internet-connected devices.

It was introduced by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (Bluetooth SIG) as an alternative to Bluetooth classic.

It operates in the 2.4 GHz ISM band and is developed for wearable devices, smart home appliances, proximity sensors, etc.

Bluetooth Low Energy is a part of Bluetooth 4.0.

Particularly suited for applications that exchange limited amounts of data.

Since its official release in 2010, BLE has gone through major modifications and the major update is introduced in Bluetooth 5.

Advantages

• Cost-Efficient and Compatible
• Robustness, Security, and Reliability
• Wireless Co-Existence
• Ease of Use and Integration
• Much suitable for small size data transfer – IoT based applicatons

Limitations

• Limited range of operation
• Prone to attacks or interceptions

The BLE remains in hibernation mode constantly except for when a connection is initiated.

It works with a web browser like chrome or any computer, tablet, the mobile phone that supports BLE and doesn’t require any setup or installation.

Retailers, Consumer Electronics, Healthcare providers, Machine Manufacturers take advantage of BLE due to their low cost, long battery life, and ease of deployment.