The Bluetooth Special Interest Group has confirmed that both iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks will come with deeper integration with Bluetooth. Among other things, Apple will now allow devices connected via Bluetooth to use Notification Center on the new versions of iOS and OS X. The Bluetooth SIG is a body that controls the Bluetooth standard and certifies products for manufacturers who wish to include this technology in their devices.
What this enhanced Bluetooth integration means is that we will now see more accessories and apps that rely on Bluetooth, such as MFi game controllers which are also going to be supported by iOS 7. The Group calls this move from Apple “unprecedented,” its no secret that Apple has limited Bluetooth functionality in its devices. One still can’t natively transfer content from an iOS device to another through Bluetooth. Developers can now use the Bluetooth Application Accelerator to find out how they can leverage these enhancements for their apps. The Group’s CMO, Suke Jawanda, believes that this deeper integration “empowers developers to create new use cases to make life better for consumers.”