Does iPod Touch 4th generation support Bluetooth LE?

Question

I'm just wondering if iPod Touch 4G supports Bluetooth 4.0 with Low Energy. Bluetooth LE (BLE) for iOS is supported for iOS v5.x. So does upgrading to iOS 5.x enables BLE for iPod Touch?

Sometimes manufacturers use advanced hardwares to make sure they are compatible with future technologies. On the same lines, is it possible that Apple must have also done the same, envisioning that BLE will be part of iOS v5.x?

I honestly feel that this question is not fit for SO, as it doesn't relate to programming at all. There may be a SE site for this, but I'm not up to date enough to determine which one that would be. — Drise, Jun 11 '12 at 14:39

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 04 '12 at 22:58

4

iPod touch 5th Gen and iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 and some concurrent iPad, lost link to which one all support BlueTooth LE.

answered Oct 04 '12 at 22:58

mwengler

2,738
1
19
32

Thanks for the update! Apple did a good job of upgrading iPod Touch to almost a smartphone device. – Pankaj Rathor Oct 15 '12 at 09:12
iPad 3 and later and iPad Mini also support Bluetooth LE (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth_low_energy) – darrinm Nov 11 '13 at 21:05

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 19 '12 at 21:20

0

This is a hardware issue, so unfortunately upgrading will not change the fact that it does not support Bluetooth Low Energy. And no, 4G does not support BLE even if upgrading. Only iPhone 4S is available per today (from Apple). The next iPad will also have support for BLE. HTC One X, Motorola Razer and Samsung Galaxy S3 does also support BLE.

answered Jun 19 '12 at 21:20

chwi

2,752
2
41
66

Thanks! I knew this, but just wanted to check the possibility. – Pankaj Rathor Aug 03 '12 at 09:11
On the android side, I have heard you need non-standard android to use Bluetooth LE, you need to root the phone. Standard Android does not yet support Bluetooth LE (I have heard). Would love to be wrong on this... – mwengler Oct 15 '12 at 23:12
You're wrong on this ;) yes, stock or "standard" android doesn't support LE, but e.g Motorola has made their own framework for their razr to make it available to developers. Maybe you could port something from them to a rooted phone. Anyhow, google say they will release a public LE framework soon. Let's just hope they so it ASAP – chwi Oct 16 '12 at 04:55

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 01 '13 at 01:40

For a smart phone to have BLE capabilities, it must have a dual-mode chip, which means its radio can talk to both the classic Bluetooth and BLE. As Wilhelmsen said, this is a hardware issue.

The first smart phone that supports BLE is iPhone 4S. Most iOS devices after iPhone 4S supports BLE. Android? No so many as far as I know. So the best platform so far for BLE development is still iOS devices.

Does iPod Touch 4th generation support Bluetooth LE?

3 Answers3