Learn How To Build A BLE App In 5 Easy Steps

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is a type of wireless communication optimized for short-range communication. Just as Wi-Fi allows devices to interact, BLE also does the same. BLE is designed for circumstances where battery life is more important than high data transfer speeds.

Related Read: Getting Started With BLE – A Complete Guide

For instance, if you need to promote a freshly released headphone using a marketing campaign, as the quantity of data you need to send to a visitor’s smartphone is modest, Bluetooth BLE-compliant beacons can do the task fast and without exhausting the battery.

BLE uses the same basic pairing modules, authentication methods, encryption, and link security as conventional Bluetooth. As a result, BLE devices are just as simple to set up and use as Bluetooth devices.

Most smartphones and tablets now support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), allowing them to communicate with Bluetooth-enabled wireless headphones, digital signs, car stereos, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and hardware devices. 

This article will discuss how to build a BLE app in 5 easy steps.

How Does Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Work?

BLE employs different channels than normal Bluetooth and operates in the same 2.4 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) spectrum as standard Bluetooth. The Bluetooth BLE communication structure consists of 40 frequency channels separated by 2MHz to save energy and deliver faster data transfer speeds.

These are principal advertisement channels, with the remaining 37 secondary data channels. Bluetooth communication begins with the three principal advertisement channels before shifting to the subsidiary channels.

Standard Bluetooth technologies send radio signals using the frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) approach, which creates significant interference compared to BLE. The Generic Attribute Profile, or GATT commonly known, is the foundation of Bluetooth BLE.

This profile specifies a method for peripherals to disclose data to other devices in a structured manner. Peripheral data is arranged as a set of services explaining the device’s logical functions. A separate service would be created for each sensor or feature.

To communicate discrete data values between devices, each Service includes a set of Characteristics. The data flow over Bluetooth Low Energy is mainly one-way communication. Consider BLE beacons attempting to interact with a nearby smartphone: a Bluetooth beacon device broadcasts data packets at regular intervals.

Apps or pre-installed services on neighboring smartphones detect these data packets. This Bluetooth communication can send a message or promote an app.

How To Create A Bluetooth Low Energy Compatible App?

More and more people are trying to jump on the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) bandwagon for Android apps because it consumes very little power while providing a connection to communicate with small devices.

The Generic Attribute Profile is the foundation for all current BLE application profiles (GATT). When an Android device communicates with a BLE device, the server provides information, and the client gets it.

Developer APIs for BLE is included in Android, including APIs for interacting with GATT servers and clients. Implement the Android Bluetooth HCI Requirements to utilize the BLE APIs fully.

An Android device can function as a peripheral device, a central device, or both when using BLE. Devices in peripheral mode can transmit advertisement packets. Devices can scan for adverts in central mode.

While in peripheral mode, an Android device functioning as both a peripheral and a central device can communicate with other BLE peripheral devices and transmit advertisements. BLE can only be used in central mode on Bluetooth 4.1 or older devices.

Older device chipsets may not support BLE peripheral mode. Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) Beacons are flooding the market, allowing businesses, amateurs, and non-technical consumers to benefit from the Internet of Things. They have the clout of two rivaling behemoths, Apple and Google, to propel technology ahead.

Beyond this, the future looks bright, thanks to the brand-new Web Bluetooth API, which allows browsers to interface with Bluetooth devices. Beacons are no longer restricted to mobile apps; they can now be sensed in the browser, making them devise and operating systems independent.

Web Bluetooth will allow developers to create a single solution that works across all platforms, including mobile and desktop, resulting in decreased development costs, more open-source control interfaces for varied physical items, and increased innovation.

This also means that developers for both web & mobile app development will soon be able to program for Android and iOS, as Web Bluetooth now allows Javascript to be used with beacons. At close ranges, Bluetooth Low Energy is superior to alternatives since it is frequently faster and less expensive.

Connecting directly with a neighboring device (peer-to-peer) is faster than establishing other connections requiring a server and more expensive data-sharing equipment. This is particularly true when using a Bluetooth Low Energy device and expecting a quick response.

How To Make A BLE App Work With BLE Beacon?

The client has some data; that is usually your sensor device, and the Server containing data are the two parties engaged in Bluetooth LE links, which consume data. Smartphones can fill either of these functions depending on the work at hand.

A common arrangement for connecting BLE-enabled external devices to a host device like a smartphone is to use a BLE Device as the server and an iPhone/ Android as the client.

These are also known as Peripheral (Server) and Central in BLE documentation (Client). The following section of the article further highlights the 5 steps to developing any app with BLE Beacon. 

App Development Steps With BLE Beacon

• Design Specifications 

BLE application design, like every niche mobile app, has its quirks. What are some of the things you should think about when creating a BLE app? To top the list, you should be onboard new users.

A short video instruction would make a lot of sense because they need to link the software to an external device. This is a great step because your clients and support team will be grateful that you accomplished this.

Because BLE-enabled apps rely heavily on connectivity, the user should always be able to see if an app is connected or not, whether it is currently attempting to connect, and whether any user action is required. 

• Develop A Web Admin Portal 

Developing a web admin site for your BLE-enabled infrastructure is not a strict necessity, but it can help you improve it. Yes, you need a web app to construct a BLE app. This web application will help you update the firmware on all your BLE devices simultaneously.

In case, firmware is a small operating system that runs on hardware and controls its functions. We keep it up to date to keep BLE devices safe and up to date with new features (previously postponed for faster time to market).

You can also use the web application to locate and monitor the equipment. Creating a web portal like this is advised if you need to manage a big fleet of Bluetooth LE devices.

• Coding And Hardware Considerations 

This phase will take the greatest time and effort to complete. Before you start writing a BLE app, you must figure out a few things. Make a decision regarding the hardware you will be using. Some of the most important parts of BLE app development are influenced by the hardware you choose, will the BLE app support the iPhone’s proximity-sensing capabilities?

Or will you be able to connect over a long distance, for instance, some chips support up to 5000 feet? Moreover, given the hardware’s throughput, will you be able to transfer all of the essential data?

These, and many other aspects of your BLE mobile solution, are entirely dependent on hardware. After the above-mentioned, you must also comply with Bluetooth SIG’s security BLE guidelines.

• Testing 

Testing a BLE application when a hardware chip is not available is one of the most difficult BLE app development chores. A BLE dongle connected to a laptop or any simulator software should be used in this situation.

You are stuck with manual testing until you construct a BLE app on Flutter, where there’s an open-source emulator called BLE emulator.

• Deployment

If your BLE app is only for internal usage, you must employ Apple’s Ad Hoc or Enterprise distribution approach. You can decide which devices are allowed to use this BLE app. In the Android world, no antics are required: simply post your app on your website or email it to your staff.

Stay Updated With BLE Beacon

In terms of application and Bluetooth power, we may state that BLE is the friendliest form, which makes it easier for the mobility industry to connect to the world of applications. Beacons will be used with various technologies in the next few years, including QR codes and radio frequency identification (RFID).

When attendees enter the venue details, placing Beacon within the selected value prompts them to join the conversation. They can now socialize with other attendees in the same session or join a discussion forum.