Handoff Without Bluetooth...

[the1payday]

Is there any chance that Handoff won't require Bluetooth at all, in the wake of everyone posting about Bluetooth LE being a requirement?

On Apple's website, NONE of the pictures showing Handoff have the Bluetooth icon in the top right corner of the devices. Also, when Handoff was demoed during the WWDC keynote, the iPhone and iPad used also did NOT have Bluetooth enabled. I realize this could just be a huge oversight on Apple's part, but they are normally good at not making mistakes like this.

Thoughts?

 

[arn]

it's possible Apple will add it in during the beta-cycle.

Apple hasn't said much on the requirements, probably because it is a moving target. I think it will be more clear when OS X public beta hits.

At this moment, it seems to be a hard requirement though.

arn

 

[TheBuffather]

Apple hasn't said much on the requirements, probably because it is a moving target.

This. I believe the moving target explanation makes the most sense, for now at least.

 

[ErikGrim]

We basically have one Handoff feature already in previous iOSs with iCloud tabs, that certainly doesn't require BT. So it remains to be seen really. Maybe some features require proximity, others not. If I recall correctly they mentioned that the phone could be in a different room and you'd still be able to take calls and messages.

 

[saving107]

On Apple's website, NONE of the pictures showing Handoff have the Bluetooth icon in the top right corner of the devices. Also, when Handoff was demoed during the WWDC keynote, the iPhone and iPad used also did NOT have Bluetooth enabled. I realize this could just be a huge oversight on Apple's part, but they are normally good at not making mistakes like this.

Thoughts?

After all the network issues Steve Jobs had on stage during WWDC in 2010 with 5,000 attendees and so many MiFi routers in one room, I think they started faking the WiFi/Signal Strength/Battery icons and even though it has full bars WiFi it's connection is actually coming from the lightning cable port (hardwire).

So more likely the Bluetooth icon is an oversight. If the battery is being charged it would be Green, if its not receiving power than it would show a battery draining, that battery icon remains at 100%.

If I recall correctly they mentioned that the phone could be in a different room and you'd still be able to take calls and messages.

Bluetooth LE has a range of 200ft-300ft. Samsung announced a similar feature that works over WiFi with both devices being on the same network but I think Apple's Hand-off feature is more of a Proximity feature, two devices being near each other.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

Is this the iPhone 6 in this picture?

 

[saving107]

Is this the iPhone 6 in this picture?

Its an iPhone 5s.

 

[tdar]

Those of us who have older equipment wish that these advancements would work on what we have now. That's why we want to doubt how they work. That's why we wish Apple would allow us to just add a BT 4LE dongle and have it work. But from Apples point of view anyway, that not how it works.

Here is how it works from Apple point of view, taken as provided to developers in the release notes.

Handoff REQUIRES that your mac and iOS devices came equipped with BT4LE.

Continuity does not, as it will be shipped in the fall. It will use Wi-Fi. I say it this way because there is a noted bug on the iOS notes saying that these builds wrongly use BT but that it will be changed to Wi-Fi.

So if you have a Mac that did not ship with BT4LE you'll be able to use SMS's on your Mac and make and receive phone calls, but not able to use Handoff to transfer your work between devices.

That's how Apple intends it to be like it or not. That said AFTER OSX 10.10 ships, I fully expect 3rd parties to enable workarounds that will support BT USB dongles. But without Apple support.

 

[the1payday]

Those of us who have older equipment wish that these advancements would work on what we have now. That's why we want to doubt how they work. That's why we wish Apple would allow us to just add a BT 4LE dongle and have it work. But from Apples point of view anyway, that not how it works.

Here is how it works from Apple point of view, taken as provided to developers in the release notes.

Handoff REQUIRES that your mac and iOS devices came equipped with BT4LE.

Continuity does not, as it will be shipped in the fall. It will use Wi-Fi. I say it this way because there is a noted bug on the iOS notes saying that these builds wrongly use BT but that it will be changed to Wi-Fi.

So if you have a Mac that did not ship with BT4LE you'll be able to use SMS's on your Mac and make and receive phone calls, but not able to use Handoff to transfer your work between devices.

That's how Apple intends it to be like it or not. That said AFTER OSX 10.10 ships, I fully expect 3rd parties to enable workarounds that will support BT USB dongles. But without Apple support.

Yeah, I remember reading something in the release notes about it requiring bluetooth in the beta, but it would be adjusted for Wi-Fi later. So it's only referring to the other Continuity features aside from handoff then?

 

[tdar]

Yeah, I remember reading something in the release notes about it requiring bluetooth in the beta, but it would be adjusted for Wi-Fi later. So it's only referring to the other Continuity features aside from handoff then?

Yes. Handoff will always require BT4LE due to the need to detect your phone in proximity to your mac or your other iOS device.