Bluetooth 3.0 is Not Enabled in Android 2.1 or 2.2*

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youareahoohaa

New member
I created a post previously questioning if Bluetooth 3.0 works on Samsung Vibrant phones. I think now this post belongs here now. After several days of learning the technology in detail and even some frustrating phone calls to Samsung tech support, I have came to the conclusion that Bluetooth 3.0 is not supported in Android 2.1 and 2.2.

The big part of the Bluetooth 3.0 is 10x file transfer speeds over Bluetooth 2.1. From my tests Vibrant to Vibrant I was only getting 1.2mbit/s speeds, very slow. Android uses a Bluetooth protocol stack provided by BlueZ. BlueZ 4.47 is used for both Android 2.1 & 2.2 according to Android source code website. It was not until BlueZ 4.70 that AMP (Alternate MAC/PHY) is supported. AMP is the technology that Bluetooth 3.0 handoffs the file transfer to WiFi. This basically gives you WiFi transfer speeds.

So what does this mean? Bluetooth 3.0 probably won't be support until Gingerbread or later. How lame.... You shouldn't be able to advertise Bluetooth 3.0 unless it is functioning in the device. Well I'm out $30 for purchasing a USB BT3.0 dongle and hours of time.

*DISCLAIMER: There might be other aspects of BT 3.0 that are supported but I did not investigate them. This only based on file transfer speeds.
 
File transfer by BT has never been on the Android radar, followed closely by pop/imap apps that allow you to handle attachments w/o piling on "helper" apps or replacing their app with another. For me, these are "must-haves" and the reasons I will not be going to another Android when I upgrade my current phone.
 
I agree. This sucks, and it shouldn't be advertised as 3.0. if it can't do any 3.0 things.

So in short, we have a 3.0 device that only supports 2.1 speeds, and is incompatible with many BT devices like the Wiimote where older phones work fine.
 
Sorry if I seemed to be bitter. I was at the time but I'm over it now. I'm still new in the android enviroment. If I root my phone is it possible to install the new bluetooth stack, BlueZ 4.70?
 
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