The Bluetooth Framework is the Software Developer Kit (SDK) that provides easy access to the Bluetooth features on Windows platforms. The library supports both Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth Low Energy technologies. The Bluetooth Framework is a part of the Wireless Communication Library but can be used as a standalone library.
Unlike standard solutions, such as Bluetooth classes in Delphi or the Windows WinRT API, the Bluetooth Framework provides much better control over the Bluetooth functionality in your applications. Additionally, the Bluetooth Framework can work with non-standard devices, such as the BLED112 USB Bluetooth dongle. Support for Bluetooth drivers from BlueSoleil and Toshiba, in addition to the standard Microsoft Bluetooth drivers, makes your application using the Bluetooth Framework versatile and allows users not to worry about choosing a correct Bluetooth driver.
Working on the Bluetooth Framework, our team has found a large number of solutions for functionality that is not provided by the standard Windows Bluetooth API. By continuously testing all new Windows and other Bluetooth drivers updates, we promptly fix potential incompatibilities and new bugs in the Bluetooth drivers. This is especially true for new versions of Windows 11, which are notorious for their instability.
The Bluetooth Framework includes numerous demonstration applications that will help you quickly start developing your application for communication with Bluetooth devices. Additionally, on our website you can find detailed articles to assist you in working with the Bluetooth Framework. In particular, the article about the Bluetooth Low Energy GATT protocol, based on the GattClient example, will help you start developing an application for working with BLE devices in just a few minutes. And the article about the Bluetooth Classic RFCOMM-based devices will easily introduce you to the realm of classic Bluetooth devices.
In addition to the Bluetooth functionality, the Bluetooth Framework includes an implementation of the OBEX client and server. This allows your applications to utilize features such as working with the phonebook, SMS, file transfer, and more. Beyond data transfer, the Bluetooth Framework enables you to work with audio devices: discover all audio devices, determine which ones are operating over Bluetooth, and connect or disconnect not only to the entire audio device but also to its individual services. For example, you can easily connect to the A2DP profile of your headphones without connecting to the Hands-Free profile. For a general explanation of what each profile does, see the Bluetooth Classic profiles overview.
Using the Bluetooth Framework instead of native APIs from Microsoft or other Bluetooth driver manufacturers will drastically reduce your development time, resulting in significant cost savings for your project.
