XDA Developers reports that they are “confident that Android P will finally add support for the Bluetooth HID device profile service, which allows for your smartphone to be used as a Bluetooth keyboard or mouse.”
Some weeks ago, I wrote about the smartphone-powered laptop by Razer. In that article, I also mentioned Microsoft’s Continuum and Samsung’s DeX, which allow supported Lumia and Galaxy smartphones respectively to be used as a trackpad.
Think of what Microsoft did with Continuum using cables, replace the cables with Bluetooth, and that is what we are looking at. What will make that possible is a Bluetooth profile called Human Interface Device (HID).
Bluetooth HID Device Profile
Bluetooth HID Device Profile is the standard for Bluetooth-enabled user-input devices like mice, keyboards, trackpads, and joysticks.
Before now, this Bluetooth profile did not exist in Android OS. As such, Android app developers cannot create apps that can enable your smartphone to be used as an input device. If Bluetooth HID Device Profile is added to Android P, then any smartphone running Android P can be used as input devices over Bluetooth.
That means, you can pair your smartphone with a smart TV or flatscreen PC and use it as a mouse, trackpad, or keyboard. Android P is the next version of Android OS after Android 8 Oreo (also called Android O).
Extending The Capabilities Of Smartphones
Clearly, everyone involved in mobile sees the future of smartphones in productivity. Microsoft’s Continuum aside, the company has repeated that it wants to create a new category of mobile devices that focus on productivity. Their successful Surface tablet line is part of this.
Samsung is pushing ahead with DeX. Huawei has developed a PC mode that runs on the same principle. And now, Google takes up the task.
Why are all the big names facing productivity and bigger screen computing? Mobile has conquered the consumer market completely. Now, it is time for it to tackle office/enterprise/productivity. The idea is to rule both mobile and desktop with the same OS, and initiatives of this sort are pointed squarely at that.
There are quite a number of Bluetooth profiles, each enabling a different functionality for devices. Read up more about these Bluetooth profiles.
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Way back from the days of EPOC, Symbian, Palm, PocketPC/Windows Mobile, BlackBerry/BB10, webOS, Windows Phone, Firefox, Ubuntu Touch, to Android, iOS, and KaiOS operating systems, founder of MobilityArena, Mister Mobility, has owned a few hundred smartphones and tablets, and counting.