[Q] Bluetooth 4 /Android 4.3 update - does The Xperia Z1 now support Bluetooth Smart?

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tallguy_uk_98

Senior Member
Jan 3, 2008
57
3
Since the Z1 supports Bluetooth 4.0, therefore following the Android 4.3 update - does The Xperia Z1 now support Bluetooth Smart?
 

tallguy_uk_98

Senior Member
Jan 3, 2008
57
3
OK, so I borrowed a Beets BLU Bluetooth Smart Heart rate monitor and it would see the device in the available devices list occasionally (1 out of 4) but would not pair, I also borrowed a Garmin Premium HRM (ANT+) and could not get that to connect at all.

I could of course be doing something completely wrong especially with the ANT+ device as I can find no instructions on home to pair the device

instructions or help with either?
 

xasbo

Senior Member
Feb 10, 2012
447
115
OK, so I borrowed a Beets BLU Bluetooth Smart Heart rate monitor and it would see the device in the available devices list occasionally (1 out of 4) but would not pair, I also borrowed a Garmin Premium HRM (ANT+) and could not get that to connect at all.

I could of course be doing something completely wrong especially with the ANT+ device as I can find no instructions on home to pair the device

instructions or help with either?

You might just have be having the typical 290 issues with Bluetooth where devices can't pair. Maybe someone else will chime in with more feedback, but I don't have any BLE devices to test.
 
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tallguy_uk_98

Senior Member
Jan 3, 2008
57
3
Ok So I managed to get the ANT+ device to work by installing ANT Radio Service & ANT+ Plugins from the play store following guidance from this website

http://www.thisisant.com/consumer/ant-101/ant-in-phones/

Which was really helpful, especially as the Z1 is slated as being ANT+ native supporting but still needs additional software drivers installed, but there is nothing on Sony's documentation to drive you to this conclusion.

As for the Bluetooth 4.0/Bluetooth Smart device still no joy - Anybody any further ideas or is it just a case of waiting for a bug fix?
 
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SeanyC

Senior Member
Jan 3, 2008
88
25
Dartford
Install BLE Heart Rate Monitor from store. In the settings pair with your HRM. Don't try and pair through phone bluetooth settings. Bluetooth smart isn't designed to be paired like this apparently.
 
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tallguy_uk_98

Senior Member
Jan 3, 2008
57
3
Install BLE Heart Rate Monitor from store. In the settings pair with your HRM. Don't try and pair through phone bluetooth settings. Bluetooth smart isn't designed to be paired like this apparently.
Thanks for the info - partially works, connects but drops the connection routinely even after refreshing the Bluetooth system , as suggested by the app - probably needs a bug fix
 

sumerland

Member
Aug 11, 2010
20
4
I would like to understand whether it's possible to activate bluetooth 4 and bluetooth "classic" individually. The background: I want to use a bluetooth 4 tag in combination with tasker to automate certain things once the tag is within reach. I got a Texas Instruments SensorTag which is recognized by the Z1 and can be accessed via the TI software. Tasker is currently being improved to play with BT4 devices. The issue is that there is just a single bluetooth switch within Android, but of course I want to avoid the power hungry classic bluetooth and use bluetooth instead.

Any ideas if there is a solution? Maybe via an Xposed module?

Cheers,
Torsten
 

zimbashka

Senior Member
Jun 19, 2010
75
16
Toronto
I would like to understand whether it's possible to activate bluetooth 4 and bluetooth "classic" individually. The background: I want to use a bluetooth 4 tag in combination with tasker to automate certain things once the tag is within reach. I got a Texas Instruments SensorTag which is recognized by the Z1 and can be accessed via the TI software. Tasker is currently being improved to play with BT4 devices. The issue is that there is just a single bluetooth switch within Android, but of course I want to avoid the power hungry classic bluetooth and use bluetooth instead.

Any ideas if there is a solution? Maybe via an Xposed module?

Cheers,
Torsten

It is already BT 4.0 as long as device you use has it too, no further activation needed. If you try to use it with device that has older version like BT 2.1 functionality of BT 4.0 will be downscaled to work with older version.
 
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sumerland

Member
Aug 11, 2010
20
4
It is already BT 4.0 as long as device you use has it too, no further activation needed. If you try to use it with device that has older version like BT 2.1 functionality of BT 4.0 will be downscaled to work with older version.

Many thanks! This sounds good! To be fully sure: once a BT2.1 device disconnects, BT falls "back" to 4.0? The longer I think about it I wonder whether it really makes a difference if a phone waiting for a connection is using BT2.1 or BT4.0. Do the 4.0 improvements have an effect on the power consumption before the connection is established?
 

zimbashka

Senior Member
Jun 19, 2010
75
16
Toronto
Many thanks! This sounds good! To be fully sure: once a BT2.1 device disconnects, BT falls "back" to 4.0? The longer I think about it I wonder whether it really makes a difference if a phone waiting for a connection is using BT2.1 or BT4.0. Do the 4.0 improvements have an effect on the power consumption before the connection is established?


It is more like imposed limits by older version go away. Power consumption in BT 4.0 is more like: little power used to connect, pair and then it uses more power when large amount of information needs to be transferred (like opening higher bandwidth based on Wi-Fi that uses more power for shorter period of time). While discovering device awaits connection it consumes very little of battery on either 2.1 or 4.0. from what I can see versions of BT evolve in added functionality that is based mainly on transfer rate as well as better power management.

Here more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth
 
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  • 1
    Yes it does.

    ---------- Post added at 05:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:22 PM ----------

    What is Bluetooth Smart

    Sent from my C6902 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth_low_energy
    1
    OK, so I borrowed a Beets BLU Bluetooth Smart Heart rate monitor and it would see the device in the available devices list occasionally (1 out of 4) but would not pair, I also borrowed a Garmin Premium HRM (ANT+) and could not get that to connect at all.

    I could of course be doing something completely wrong especially with the ANT+ device as I can find no instructions on home to pair the device

    instructions or help with either?

    You might just have be having the typical 290 issues with Bluetooth where devices can't pair. Maybe someone else will chime in with more feedback, but I don't have any BLE devices to test.
    1
    Install BLE Heart Rate Monitor from store. In the settings pair with your HRM. Don't try and pair through phone bluetooth settings. Bluetooth smart isn't designed to be paired like this apparently.
    1
    This happens sometimes unfortunately. I had no problems on my Nexus 4.
    1
    I would like to understand whether it's possible to activate bluetooth 4 and bluetooth "classic" individually. The background: I want to use a bluetooth 4 tag in combination with tasker to automate certain things once the tag is within reach. I got a Texas Instruments SensorTag which is recognized by the Z1 and can be accessed via the TI software. Tasker is currently being improved to play with BT4 devices. The issue is that there is just a single bluetooth switch within Android, but of course I want to avoid the power hungry classic bluetooth and use bluetooth instead.

    Any ideas if there is a solution? Maybe via an Xposed module?

    Cheers,
    Torsten

    It is already BT 4.0 as long as device you use has it too, no further activation needed. If you try to use it with device that has older version like BT 2.1 functionality of BT 4.0 will be downscaled to work with older version.