Creating Bluetooth 4.0 accessory - How to start?

We predicted that the Bluetooth 4.0 will be the technology that will revolutionize the gadget and accessory market for mobile devices. The trigger for the avalanche of wireless gadgets could be the upcoming release of iPhone 5 / iOS 6. At the same time as the next generation wireless connectivity finds its way to mobile devices, the world of gadget making has been revolutionized by the crowd-funding sites such as the kickstarter or the Indiegogo. These sites give opportunity to anyone to start manufacturing gadgets of their liking, as long as their idea appeals to large enough audience.

We roundup Bluetooth 4.0 modules from different manufacturers to see what they have to offer for a gadget maker that needs to get

1. Get their project on a Crowd-funding site
2. Quick proof-of-concept ready as fast as possible (no one wants to fund slideware)
3. Final product has decent manufacturing cost (no one wants to buy expensive gadget event for iPhone)
4. Final product has to have global certifications (FCC and CE minimum)

iPhone 5 - enabling the Internet of Things?

When iPhone 4S was introduced approximately one year ago, not that many people realized what was perhaps the most crucial feature that differentiated the iPhone from the other mobile phones. It was not the easily breaking glass design, the dual core  ARM Cortex-A9 or even the Retina display. It was the Bluetooth 4.0 that really made the iPhone 4S to standout from the competition. Even though the general public did not really see the difference between Bluetooth version 4.0 and its predecessors, the 4.0 included a totally new technology under the Bluetooth specification which allowed the creation of extremely energy efficient wireless accessories and gadgets.

You might ask how this relates to the iPhone 5? Well, let me go though some facts and let you figure it out. Prior to releasing iPhone 4S, Apple joined the Executive Board of Bluetooth SIG. Coincidence, perhaps? Joining the board of the organization that controls the development of Bluetooth gives them capability of both monitoring the adaptation rate of the technology and to certain extent, steering the development of it. Apple has since released new iPad, MacBook Air, Mac Mini and MacBook Pro; all with Bluetooth 4.0 support. Now one year after the release of the iPhone 4S there are only couple of other mobile phones that support the latest Bluetooth version.