Bluetooth connectivity in general

[theTimo]

Coming from Windows/Android world, I'm a bit curious about how bluetooth works in my iPad. It finds my Samsung SGS via BT allright but can't connect to it. Is there something to be done further?

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[dhewson777]

The Bluetooth stack on the iPad and iPhones are limited for security reasons. The main uses are Bluetooth headsets/car kits, Bluetooth keyboards and bluetooth music streaming. General file transfers are locked out to keep the device secure as the iDevices do not apps access a common file system.

[theTimo]

Thanks. Hmm, sounds extremely limited... Is it still possible to connect iPad to other iOS devices?

[AQ_OC]

BT is a lot slower but I have at least two apps that can transfer files over blue tooth. Most would prefer to use wifi if possible .

[dhewson777]

Thanks. Hmm, sounds extremely limited... Is it still possible to connect iPad to other iOS devices?

I believe Bluetooth is an option for tethering an iPad to an iPhone for the purpose of sharing it's Internet connection. But for the same security reasons, general file transfer is not possible. There are some apps that may give limited transfer ability.

I also remember that some games can be played multiplayer via Bluetooth, ie. Battleship between iOS devices.

[theTimo]

Ok, but this 'security' aspect bugs me still. To me the BT connection is not the unsecure one when compared to wlan connection, for example. When using bluetooth, you pretty much can be sure what you're transferring since the participants are most likely known. With other wireless connections that's not the case always...

[twerppoet]

The security issue is not on the Bluetooth end. It's on having a central file system that any app or remote computer (with the right protocol) can access and modify. Apple has sandboxed it's apps and their files. A sometimes controversial choice, but a fact of life.

Because of this choice, there is no general file system for Bluetooth to transfer a file too. For this reason (and probably others) Apple does not implement that part of BlueTooth.

Apps get around this by using the bluetooth serial interface, which Apple does supply an API and support for. But for it to work you need apps running on both devices that look for each other and handle the transfer. Pairing is not needed. But while a few iOS apps do this with each other, I don't know of any developer who has developed the necessary app on both Android and iOS.

At this time the easiest way to transfer files between an Android and iOS device is a cloud service like DropBox.

[theTimo]

Thanks for the answers, folks. Can't help thinking but this is a bit of politics from Apple too..?

There are limitations also in Android what comes to file formats to be transferred via BT but renaming the only forbidden (apk) file format to something else, you can go around the problem. Of course, there are possible hazards in this if you transfer something from an unfamiliar source, but like I said, that's usually not the case with BT.