The global positioning landscape is undergoing a profound transformation. While satellite-based systems like GPS mastered the outdoors, a vast, digitally invisible realm remained: the indoor world. Enter Bluetooth® positioning—a technology that has quietly evolved from a simple connectivity protocol into the cornerstone of a burgeoning market, transforming how businesses operate, assets are managed, and experiences are delivered. This market is not a niche; it is a foundational layer for the digitization of physical space, projected to drive the annual shipment of over 1.2 billion Bluetooth location services devices by 2027, according to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG).

Part 1: Comparative Analysis of Key Algorithms

Bluetooth positioning algorithms can be categorized by their underlying principle and required infrastructure. Here is a comparative analysis of the most common approaches:

Bluetooth technology, once synonymous with wireless audio and peripheral connectivity, has quietly transformed into a critical enabler of the Internet of Things. Today, it is spearheading a revolution in positioning, redefining how we perceive and interact with space, particularly indoors.

Bluetooth technology, once synonymous with wireless audio and peripheral connectivity, has quietly transformed into a critical enabler of the Internet of Things. Today, it is spearheading a revolution in positioning, redefining how we perceive and interact with space, particularly indoors.

As we stand in 2026, the Bluetooth audio chip industry has completed a fundamental paradigm shift. The device is no longer merely a speaker or a headset; it is a context-aware, intelligent auditory node. This evolution is driven by chips that have transcended their traditional roles, becoming sophisticated hubs for sensor fusion, real-time AI processing, and personalized health sensing. The competitive landscape is now defined by three intertwined megatrends: Sovereign Silicon Ecosystems, Edge-Native Generative Audio, and the Pursuit of Invisible Computing.