Is Wibree really a replacement for Bluetooth?

Cellphone giant Nokia has apparently been working on Wibree, an oddly named replacement to the Bluetooth technology that's just starting to become pervasive in modern electronic gizmos (I have Bluetooth in my Prius and my Mac laptop, for example, as well as my Motorola cellphone).

There is an entire Wibree web site full of information that shows that, sure enough, October 3rd, when you asked me this question, is the launch date of this new technology. Here's how they describe Wibree:

"Wibree radio technology complements other local connectivity technologies, consuming only a fraction of the power compared to other such radio technologies, enabling smaller and less costly implementations and being easy to integrate with Bluetooth solutions.

"Wibree is the first open technology offering connectivity between mobile devices or Personal Computers, and small, button cell battery power devices such as watches, wireless keyboards, toys and sports sensors. By extending the role mobile devices can play in consumers’ lives, this technology increases the growth potential in these market segments."

They claim that it has (ready for this buzzword flood?) ultra low peak, average and idle mode power consumption, ultra low cost & small size for accessories and human interface devices (HID), minimal cost and size addition to mobile phones & PCs and global, intuitive and secure multi-vendor interoperability. What's not to like about all that?

In terms of it gaining in the marketplace and replacing Bluetooth, well, Bluetooth definitely has some problems and limitations, including some security issues, and there's also another contender for the crown called Zigbee, but Nokia's a big company and with Wibree able to utilize the same radio and antenna components as Bluetooth, who knows, maybe we will see a Wibree world in the future.

For now, I'd say it's a "wait and see" situation.