Bluetooth 4.0 Certification comes to Nokia 920 and 820 Windows Phone 8 devices

By Robert Brand
last updated

This will prove to be good news for those who were slightly disappointed to see Nokia’s new Lumia devices were only going to support Bluetooth 3.1. According to a listing on Bluetooth.org, both the Lumia 820 and 920 support Bluetooth 4.0.

Bluetooth 4.0 allows for the transfer of information from super low power devices. The reason it’s a big deal is that it will allow for things like workout monitors, everything from a pedometer to a heart rate monitor.

What isn’t certain at this point is how well supported Bluetooth 4.0 will be on an OS level, if at all. Microsoft has just gone RTM with Windows Phone 8 and as of yet we are still wondering about a great many details. It’s certainly a good sign though; if the Lumias have been certified then it’s unlikely is only to allow proprietary Nokia applications to use it.

The applications we’re likely to see use this type of technology is generally going to be sports tracking apps. Nike for instance has their Fuel band, Running, Training devices which help record a workout. But there's of course room for other projects to fit in.

Are you excited for the Bluetooth 4.0 possibilities? Let us know your thoughts in the comments bellow.

Source : SIG (1) & (2) via WMPU

Robert Brand
Robert Brand
69 Comments
  • DONE!  This was the only thing making me go hrm....now the 920 officially destroys everything else.
     
    Just take my money already.
  • Exactly, it was the one sore point on the spec list.
     
    Nokia is really ticking off all the boxes. I must say, they promised that the wp superphones would be coming with wp8, and they weren't kidding.
     
    Now the only sad thing about this device was the less than stellar launch event they had last week, and I'm not just talking about the PureView debacle. They really need better speakers, they were seriously underselling themselves. Thinking about all the stuff they announced but didn't emphasize on, and the stuff that they didn't mention make me think of the lost opportunities.
     
    I keep finding out little things, like how the PureView screen uses overdrive to cut down pixel transition times. The JBL speaker+charge station has landing lights that give off a glow when you bring something close to it, specifics of how Nokia's OIS system is totally different from anything else on the market. The 920 is a marvel, and there were so many Jobsian adjectives this phone deserved at that launch event. It worries me this phone won't get the hype it deserves.
  • I have pretty much the same concerns about the missed opportunity by Nokia as you do. One other item that they need to do a much better job selling is the capability to interact with the touch screen using gloves or fingernails. The feature needs better branding and needs to be marketed. Most of the side-by-side feature comparisons on tech sites of 920 vs iPhone5 vs SGS3 actually failed to list this as a feature for the 920 - Nokia's fault. Would be great to see Nokia get energized, put on some Apple marketing hats, and distribute something like this...
    Nokia Lumia 920, the first Smartphone of its kind...
    Hardware Image stabilization for pictures and video - first of any smartphone.
    The largest optical sensor, to create better pictures in low light - first smartphone with f2.0.
    Innovation technology that allows you to operate your phone even with glove on - first smartphone to utilize this advancement.
    Largest pixel density, providing you with picture perfect screen - first smartphone with 332.
    fast screen refresh at 60 hz - 
    etc. - first, first, first
  • According to the poll on Wired with almost 50,000 votes the Lumia 920 has 60% of the votes now as opposed to 20% for the iPhone. Regardless of how well or poorly the speakers for Nokia did many can see past that and are liking the phone.
  • This is because they are "real" people who worked on the phone, not professional speaker, payer to simulate excitement. I really appreciated this approach :)
  • I agree.  But, there is a large percentage of the population that likes being spoon fed information.
  • Knowing that BT 4.0 is coming, makes my decision even more solid.
     
    BT 4.0 and NFC covers all the bases for future contactless payment systems.
    Integration with sports and other kind of sensors via BT 4.0 makes the lumia even better.
     
    There is also the posibility that we could see something coming from nokia themselves.
    These are some epic smartphones!
  • NFC isn't really complete yet - nobody knows for sure which of the variants will take hold and probably won't until the next big round of cell phone launches.
  • i agree
  • Bummer... Now I'm going to have to spend more money to replace the ANT+ sensors on my bike with BT 4.0 sensors, to replace my HRM with one that supports BT 4, and to purchase a new windows phone cycling computer app, obsoleting my Garmin Edge device - all in addition to purchasing a new Lumia 920. I'm going to stop reading tech articles, especially on this site, it's costing me too much money. Going cold turkey right after I purchase all the above, and spend a week of bliss getting everything setup.
  • im pretty sure they are backwards compatible... unless its sarcasm u were attempting
  • My Ant+ sensors and HRM do not support BT4; the 920 does not support Ant+. No sarcasm intended.
  • Omg release already......
  • That's what she said
  • WINNER!
  • BT4.0 always welcome. Now get released.
  • Fantastic, 4! :)
  • Lol +1
  • I'm not excited about using Bluetooth 4.0, but I am excited that it is included because it makes the 920 that much more attractive.
  • This. Another feather in the cap of the champ.
  • It really doesn't matter unless we get app support. Nokia would have to throw a giant pile of money at Nike for such a thing, unless they make their own hardware for it which could totally happen. :)
  • Sports Tracker with Heart Monitor already announced support for new Lumia's. 
  • Maybe not though... Nike is doing a big new Nike Plus app/hub?/game for Kinect/XBOX... Maybe MS will be pushing through some sweet Windows 8 and WP8 support in that project!
  • nike already announced they will be working with xbox/kinect at E3 with a demonstration.  It would be amazing if they could sync between the xbox and nokia.  Then it could keep much better track of work outs.
  • the new FitBit app will sync directly with the iphone5 via BT4, this opens it up for them to support WP8 too.
  • As stated above by spiderzwp, MS & Nike demoed this at E3, so there's no need to mention Apple as if they had it first; it was already demoed and stated by MS & Nike months ago.
  • Why, at he gaming convention or whatever it was called, Nike & MS did a presentation together detailing their exercise regiments via kinect. I'm sure they didn't leave it out of WP8 since Xbox, kinect, and cell will all work togther.
  • Oh there will be support.
    The cashless society demands it.
  • Nokia you already sold me. Now provide me with a Canadian carrier and a release date.
  • hmm, speculation but 920 to Rogers and 820 to Telus, Wind etc.  and the Ativ S to Bell (I'm only thinking that one cause our company will be getting that one once released), BB are pretty much out now.
  • Good to hear members bringing their companies on to the WP bandwagon. I'm waiting to see what Verizon gets as far as WP is concerned as I too will attempt to bring my companies 200+ employees on with the L920
  • Rogers will most definitely be getting the 920. Rogers is the big telecom on the block and they always get flagship phones.
  • I was hoping the 920 would be on Bell, but apparently not. Good bye Bell. I know I wont miss you one bit. Hello Rogers!
  • Good stuff! One more check mark!
  • This was the only thing that iSheep were crowing that the iPhone 5 did better. Well... It's official. The Lumia 920 really does crush the iPhone 5.
  • It doesn't matter, they'll find something else.  It's not acceptable to them that another phone is better.
  • True that! it doesn't matter for iFans! Now they will tout how less bulky the iPhone is(eventhough they know they are attracted to wonderful designs of Lumia phones).
     
  • Yeah, but they must understand that they don't have pureview or cimematography with a floating BS sensor, city lense, curved gorilla glass 2, along with other great features. To put the floating lense tech into a phone, Nokia had to sacrifice somewhere and a little bit  of bulk doesn't bother me.
  • You seem to be confusing "better" with "actually does".  And for pointing that out those people are sheep?  If a person even knows these little intricacies, it's safe to say they're paying pretty close attention to the details of this phone market, not just lining up and screaming "BEST PHONE EVER" on TV.
  • +1000
  • No doubt the OS won't be far behind if, in fact, it isn't already capable. My guess is that heart rate/defibrillator/pacemaker monitors will get the most media attention out of the 4.0 low energy technology. Way to go, Nokia!
  • Fitbit One was announced just the other day and only works with iOS/Android because of this.  I think devices like that are going to get a lot of attention this holiday season.
  • I was just getting disappointed in the fact that it only supported 3.1 and the new fitbits sync with 4.0 devices so it was telling me this would be a sore point for the next year with life tracking devices and wp devices so this is great news!
  • Pebble watch, here we come ! wohoo ! http://getpebble.com/
  • What do we know about WP7/8 compatibility? I think I read many months ago it was going to suppose Android and iOS initially, to be expected. Will one of these be worth a damn on a WP8 phone out of the box or will we have to shout and wait?
  • Doesn't matter... just upset that they didn't have the damn thing ready when they announced it. Iphone broke all the records even though the 920 seems to be the better device.  Thunder gone... 
     
    I pray to God they get the timing down for the next launch or it will assuredly be the last.
  • The iPhone will continue to sell incredibly well for a while. Right now all that Microsoft and Nokia want is to increase WP market share. The thunder is not gone. Nokia will start advertising the new phones soon.
     
    You're praying for Nokia? Dude, don't take this stuff THAT seriously, LOL!!
  • If Nokia and Microsoft fail to adverise this device correctly then I will have lost all hope for a turn around. Nokia and Microsoft have already done the impossible with this device, you would think advertising it would be the easy part...
  • So, knowing that WP8 didn't rtm then and that WP8 devices were planned to launch late October, early November, would you have rather have Nokia wait until then to have the demo?
  • Not that I would use it but definitely a plus for the 820/920's arsenal.
  • This doesn't really mean much until we know all of the Bluetooth profiles that WP8 supports.
     
    I could have sworn that last we heard, it doesn't support the Serial Port Profile (SPP), which means that none of those devices are going to work anyway, regardless of Bluetooth version number.
  • Seriously?  No Bluetooth Smart without SPP?
  • That was my understanding, but maybe I'm incorrect?
  • There are already quite a few apps on WP7 that support it on other platforms.
  • That is one little deficiency fixed now if they would just take advantage of those wonderful microphones by recording in stereo like they do on their 808.
  • good for the people that wanted it, but for me it was not a deal breaker nor a big deal. Removable storage is more important for the 920 than blue4.0
  • good to hear but the SIG listing doesn't say anything about the profiles. we need the HID profile so we can use BT keyboards
  • +1, need keyboard support !
  • Good to hear. If they would just tell us the 920 does actually have a microSD card slot then I would be in heaven. :P
  • Yeah in the wp8 presentation by ms
    They clearly specified that new wp8 platform phones are going to have the external slot for memory :)
  • They did not say they all would, they said they could support it.
  • Nice. I'm throwing my money in Nokia's general direction but nothing is happening =/
  • while I'm upset that I don't have my 920 yet and they let Apple have an uncontested launch/pre-order, I guess it's better to release a completed device than otherwise.
  • This is it
    Now I'm gonna get 820 for sure
    NFC,BT4.0,WP8,PURE VIEW,NOKIA APPS
    The best of the best throw the lumia to the market im gonna get one
    Take my money
  • So would 4.0 cone with upcoming devices or those later down the line?
  • I said this before! I read the Bluetooth Certification documents for Windows Phone 8. It supports Bluetooth 4.0. It doesn't currently support all profiles for Bluetooth 4.0, but that can be written into the Bluetooth stack. And, given the fact that Windows Phone 8 will be updateable over the air using the Windows Update service, we could see these features added to the software sometime after launch, if not at it. The Snapdragon S4 chipset has Bluetooth 4.0 built in, so all new Windows Phone 8 devices are capable of supporting the 4.0 spec.
  • Hooray!!!! *wipes tear from eye*
  • Support for bluetooth keyboard protocol is urgently required. I am disappointed that my Nokia Lumia 820 does not even support the excellent Nokia SU-8W folding keyboard, which I have used with HP/Palm Pre 3 and Touchpad, as well as the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet. Why should I be forced to take a second device in order to type longer texts on the road?
  • este telefono cuenta con reproduccion de musica via bluetooth?