Like all communication technologies, Bluetooth is a better fit for some applications than others. If you're considering using Bluetooth, here’s an outline of the primary factors that determine the effective range of Bluetooth communications, plus some ways to improve it with networking. This article is now updated with the addition of Bluetooth 5 performance.

Battery life is one of the most important considerations when designing wireless products. If it is too short, users will have to charge or change batteries often, leading to frustration and possibly less use of the product. But as well as making sure your battery has enough capacity, you need to make sure your product is using it effectively.

One of the biggest issues with wearable technology is how to provide the power it needs to function without making it so heavy or bulky that people won’t use it. Battery technology is slowly getting smaller and more efficient, but recent advances in wearable technology mean that some devices could operate without any batteries at all.