Windows 10: New Bluetooth features in Windows 10 Creators Update

Brink · Jan 13, 2017

This release is big on Bluetooth. If you’re familiar with Windows Bluetooth APIs, have been meaning to try them out, or if you’re just starting to dabble in IoT and wearables, this is a great time to take a fresh look at all things Bluetooth. To ensure the APIs we built out are functional and performant, we are working directly with Fitbit, Garmin and other device manufacturers and we would love your feedback as well.

There are three main features in this month’s Insider preview:

GATT Server

Bluetooth LE Peripheral

Unpaired Bluetooth LE device connectivity

A lot of the improvements are focused on Bluetooth LE, but we have improved Bluetooth audio functionality as well. While we made a lot of changes under the hood to ensure that all your devices talk nicely with each other, we also added a couple of new features.

Call Control API support comes to desktop. This means your VoIP apps can natively take advantage of Bluetooth headset functionality like pick up, hang up, hold, call waiting, etc. You will also experience higher-quality audio for voice, thanks to Wideband speech – coming soon to desktop. Now, Cortana will sound more lifelike and your Skype sessions will sound better than ever over Bluetooth.

Now, let’s break down the LE portions of this feature set.

GATT Server

GATT (or Generic ATTribute) logically describes how data is structured and must function in a Bluetooth LE device. The device that has the interesting data is the Server, and the device that uses that data to perform a function is known as the Client. For example, a Windows Phone (Client) reads data from a heart rate monitor (Server) to track that a user is working out optimally. Windows has traditionally been a GATT Client but with the Windows 10 Creators Update, Windows can operate as the Server as well. The hierarchy of classes in the example heart rate service is described below, but you can pick and choose any logical set of characteristics and descriptors to make your custom GATT service.

Your phone or PC has notification/user credential information that a wearable device does not have. For instance, when an incoming text message comes in, Windows can act as the GATT Server and notify a nearby wearable of the text’s arrival. Diagram 1 shows a sample service structure using Bluetooth classes implemented in this release.

Diagram 1: Sample Heart Rate GattDeviceService

For a more thorough discussion of GATT and all of its intricacies, take a look at the Bluetooth SIG page or the GATT tutorial on Adafruit.

Bluetooth LE Peripheral Role

In addition to GATT roles which determine the structure of the data, Bluetooth defines Generic Access Profile (GAP) roles as well.

These GAP roles specify which device advertises as connectable and which device does the connecting. To connect a device, Windows users generally go to the Settings page, find the device they want to connect and tap to connect. This action of connecting to remote devices implies that Windows is operating in the GAP Central role. However, there are often cases where remote devices such as smart locks need to be aware of Windows, or where you’re trying to connect two Windows devices. In such cases, we need to make sure that Windows can advertise as connectable. With the new Insider preview, apps can put the system in a state to advertise support for Bluetooth LE services. With Peripheral role and GATT Server combined, Windows can operate in all four combinations of GATT and GAP roles (color choices arbitrary, of course):

Diagram 2: Windows operating in all GATT and GAP roles

Unpaired Bluetooth LE device connectivity

Traditionally, Bluetooth LE devices needed to be paired with Windows to be accessed. This either forced the user to switch context to the Settings page, or caused developers to implement in-app pairing logic within the app. Unfortunately, there were even devices that didn’t support pairing, which necessitated ugly workarounds for the developer. All that is going to change now with the new Async GATT APIs.

In the new APIs, take a look at BluetoothLEDevice.GetGattServicesAsync(), GattDeviceService.GetCharacteristicsAsync() as well as GattCharacteristic.GetDescriptorsAsync() to get an idea for how to query a remote device without pairing.

What you need to get started

It’s all in the release preview Build and SDK, available to download here. Once you install the build, take a look at the classes that were described in the previous sections and have at it. We’re a little light on the documentation right now, but we will remedy that soon.

Does this mean my <insert wearable here> can get notifications?

GATT Server will open up a myriad of Bluetooth LE device-to-device scenarios that we think are super exciting! Why limit yourself to “Notifications”? Think remote authentication, smart locks, proximity and IoT! The world is your (wireless) oyster. But yes, developers can start enabling notifications now. However, consumers will only see this functionality lit up once Windows 10 Creators Update is released and their updated app is in the store.
Click to expand...

Source: https://blogs.windows.com/buildingap...r-bluetooth-le

:)

HorizonWZ · Jan 13, 2017

updates

Microsoft reveals the Windows 10 Mobile features that are coming in Redstone 2

Windows 10 (Redstone 2) Build Tracker for Mobile

Here's a look at what's coming to Windows 10 Mobile with the 'Redstone 2' update

What’s New in Windows 10’s Creators Update

Windows 10 Creators Update Preview - Thurrott.com

Microsoft confirms another 2017 update after Windows 10 Creators Update

Microsoft unveils more Windows 10 Creators Update features

Explore Windows 10 New Updates & Features | See What Windows 10 is Like

You can get Windows 10 Spring Creators Update on 30 April

The definitive Windows 10 Creators Update review

there's more when you google it.

Jennifer Cha · Jan 13, 2017

Where can I find an accurate comprehensive list of new features in the Windows 10 Creator's Update?

Hi,

We're glad to know that you are interested to learn more about the new features included in Windows 10 Creators Update. At the same time, you may refer to the links below to check what's included in the Windows Creators Update.

New with the Windows 10 Creators Update.

What’s new in the Windows 10 Creators Update.

As for the blog site, you can definitely revisit it when we give additional update about the new features.

Feel free to post back if you have other concerns.

idrmrsr · Jan 13, 2017

I'd just like it to work one time, that's all. Reliably connect every time, like a Zippo lighter. Think you could manage that? Oh and how about unattended file transfer, like mounting your phone as a drive? Who wants to sit there and marshall every file? But go ahead, waste years getting it to take your heart rate, yeah, that would be great.

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