WP8.1 DP - Disabled Bluetooth LE?!

[thatuxguy]

How are you meant to develop apps with the dev preview with it BLE disabled! What on earth was Microsoft thinking by disabling a feature that was only just updated with Nokia Windows devices?!

It's a bit like Apple saying "here's you shiny new touchID API, but you cant add it to your app as we have disabled touchID!"

Is there a actual release date for WP8.1 yet? or are we all still left guessing, like we are about the Lumia 930 release date?

rant over... Thanks for reading.

 

[anon(7900571)]

Lumia devices need cyan update to enable Bluetooth LE whee as Samsung/HTC will also enable this with the final release of windows phone 8.1 with their own firmware update. Have patience it will be available soon :smile:

 

[slyronit]

I fail to understand the reason for your rant. Obviously 8.1 needs newer Bluetooth drivers which will come with CYAN. I wonder why people upgrade to a software which is not a final release and then cry.

 

[thatuxguy]

I fail to understand the reason for your rant. Obviously 8.1 needs newer Bluetooth drivers which will come with CYAN. I wonder why people upgrade to a software which is not a final release and then cry.

I rant as i am a developer, trying to develop an app for the latest SDK, but need Bluetooth LE. As i do not have Bluetooth on my PC i use my Windows phone as a test device - thus why i am using the the dev preview. Bluetooth is a primary feature for a phone, and to remove something that was previously enabled takes the **** a little.

 

[thatuxguy]

Lumia devices need cyan update to enable Bluetooth LE whee as Samsung/HTC will also enable this with the final release of windows phone 8.1 with their own firmware update. Have patience it will be available soon :smile:

Yeah i know, i hear the 26th of June. Either that of buy a Nokia Lumia 630 lol.

It was hard to explain to my boss, that the dev preview does not support Bluetooth LE to test our new app, and that we need to wait for the Cyan update or spend money on a device which already has it installed.

 

[jfa1]

I am pretty sure that there was a notice that BT 4.0 LE was going to be in the Cyan Firmware for Nokia devices on 8.1. In any event like its title it's a PREVIEW

 

[thatuxguy]

I am pretty sure that there was a notice that BT 4.0 LE was going to be in the Cyan Firmware for Nokia devices on 8.1. In any event like its title it's a PREVIEW

Funny how BLE is not disabled in iOS8 beta, or beta android builds. I'm not sure why im being "attacked", I'm a developer who is attempting to develop an app. If i was Joe public then I could understand, and would not recommend installing beta software.

Why should i not be able to use the latest sdk and api's? Why is it too much to ask that functionality that was in a previous version is not taken out months after it was enabled?!

 

[mykd83]

I'm pretty sure Bluetooth LE is working on my Lumia 1020.

At least it was last time I went for a run and used my bluetooth HR monitor with the adidas MiCoach app :-/

 

[thatuxguy]

I'm pretty sure Bluetooth LE is working on my Lumia 1020.

At least it was last time I went for a run and used my bluetooth HR monitor with the adidas MiCoach app :-/

Bluetooth is working, i assume your HR monitor is not using LE but in fact using Bluetooth 3 as most BLE devices use a hybrid chip thus why BLE has been disabled easily.

 

[misfitpierce]

Funny how I care less what IOS 8 beta did or android. The deal about to Bluetooth has been posted, multiple times. Agree with slyronit, not sure why the surprise unless you just didn't see it on wpcentral. Warned when dev preview dropped, so... Not sure what you want us to do.

And he didn't say whether he had 8.1 or not. If he doesn't then he should have Bluetooth 4.0 le with black update. The black firmware only supported it to 8.0, cyan will remedy that.

 

[thatuxguy]

Funny how I care less what IOS 8 beta did or android. The deal about to Bluetooth has been posted, multiple times. Agree with slyronit, not sure why the surprise unless you just didn't see it on wpcentral. Warned when dev preview dropped, so... Not sure what you want us to do.

The point is other OS's have not dropped BLE in their "preview/beta" releases, what makes WP so different. Never asked you to do anything did I? Clearly forums are not a place to have a view any more. I never really visited WPC up until recently, so obviously I missed that post.

Its just strange how the BLE has been turned off, and its a developer preview. which would imply it would allow developers to see what is coming so they can prepare their apps for this new version. Kind of a kick in the nuts when trying to take advantage of the new API's, while developing and app which relies on the BLE so you dont have to update the app once 8.1 w/cyan releases.

There is not one mention of BLE being disabled on the WP8.1 DP page - Windows Phone Dev Center - i can only assume now that the "OEM driver updates" would relate to this. MSDN even provide samples for WP8.1!

MSDN developer samples: search feed -- So it would be easy to see why it was assumed BLE is part of the dev preview, when its not. I actually found out about the lack of support when watching a video from BUILD regarding BLE dev which is where this source code originated.

And he didn't say whether he had 8.1 or not. If he doesn't then he should have Bluetooth 4.0 le with black update. The black firmware only supported it to 8.0, cyan will remedy that.

Considering this is in relation to WP8.1 preview i assumed he posted as he has 8.1 installed. If he has WP8 w/black update then its irrelevant to my post. Thus my reply.

 

[neo158]

iOS 8 beta runs on how many different manufacturers devices, oh yeah right, just the iPhone that's why it has BLE included. Android has never had preview releases publicly available, only final releases that's why BLE works on Android.

As others have stated updated firmware is needed to allow WP8.1 to use BLE, not only that but WP runs on devices from lots of different manufacturers so that's the reason why Bluetooth drivers are needed.

 

[Joel S.]

Why is it too much to ask that functionality that was in a previous version is not taken out months after it was enabled?!

Because the functionality WAS NOT in a previous version. Bluetooth 4.0LE was supported by the chipsets on a number of phones, and the Lumia Black firmware enabled it. Windows Phone hasn't supported it until now, so when it was officially built into the OS, Nokia's "hack" was yanked so your phone didn't turn into a brick when you tried to connect via Bluetooth.

It's a drag when you're a developer and you can't fully test the features, but come on, your boss should pony up for a Bluetooth dongle for your computer if it doesn't have it built in. They're dirt cheap, and it wouldn't cause development delays.

As for why IOS8 and Android didn't? Easy, Apple builds their drivers for ALL their hardware, and Android didn't have a bunch of devices in the wild with a hacked in tweak to enable Bluetooth LE.

 

[thatuxguy]

iOS 8 beta runs on how many different manufacturers devices, oh yeah right, just the iPhone that's why it has BLE included. Android has never had preview releases publicly available, only final releases that's why BLE works on Android.

As others have stated updated firmware is needed to allow WP8.1 to use BLE, not only that but WP runs on devices from lots of different manufacturers so that's the reason why Bluetooth drivers are needed.

iOS runs on multiple hardware configs. lots of devices?! I think not.

Yep, no Android dev preview - this preview is for the Wear SDK, previous dev previews included the camera SDK.

My point still remains, why not have these things ready so developers can take advantage of the dev preview and new SDK. It does not make sense. Yet you don't seem to understand that simple fact.

The only one to not be a **** about my post was Himanshu Chowdhary! And my response to him, should have ended this thread. but you all still come at me for no reason. slyronit's response was because he assumed i was just messing with the preview.

All I am trying to do is develop a cross platform app FFS, and what the company i work for has asked me to do and what platforms they want to support! People moan that WP is not supported enough, mmm wonder why.

 

[mykd83]

I need to have another test since the latest developer preview update in case that one specifically broke Bluetooth LE, but I'm running OS version 8.10.12393.890 on a Lumia 1020. My HR monitor is a Wahoo Fitness BlueHR which runs Bluetooth 4.0, and I don't think it has 3.0 in it :-/

 

[Joel S.]

Its just strange how the BLE has been turned off, and its a developer preview. which would imply it would allow developers to see what is coming so they can prepare their apps for this new version. Kind of a kick in the nuts when trying to take advantage of the new API's, while developing and app which relies on the BLE so you dont have to update the app once 8.1 w/cyan releases.

I already answered, but just to make it clear, you need to understand that 4.0 was never supported by Windows Phone until 8.1. It's not listed as being "disabled", because it was never enabled to begin with. Nokia did that on their own with their firmware update. This isn't a case of MS giving you something, and then them taking it away. An OEM did this on their own, and MS's update removed/broke their tweak.

MS CANNOT CONTROL DRIVERS! Developer preview or not, when they build the features, they have to wait for the OEMs to release the drivers. It's the same with PCs, if there's a change to a driver model, stuff breaks until the OEMs fix their drivers. It's a fact of life in the hardware world, but of course most people just blame MS.

 

[thatuxguy]

Well the theory is flawed as the lumia 630 is out, and is running 8.1 w/cyan. It also has the latest drivers for the Qualcomm chip used in Lumia devices which support bluetooth 4/LE.

If it's down to drivers as you say, well it appears they must have been ready prior to the launch, and the last wp8.1 dp update if not longer.

Microsoft owns nokia, not much more to say there then.

 

[Joel S.]

Well the theory is flawed as the lumia 630 is out, and is running 8.1 w/cyan. It also has the latest drivers for the Qualcomm chip used in Lumia devices which support bluetooth 4/LE.

If it's down to drivers as you say, well it appears they must have been ready prior to the launch, and the last wp8.1 dp update if not longer.

Your attitude sucks.

It's not a theory, it's a FACT. MS released the Preview to OEMs the day we got it, so Nokia was able to build the drivers and push them out with the phone (it's possible MS released beta versions to OEMs as well). Cyan will include the drivers when it's pushed to everyone else.

MS gave you the tools to develop it. The SDK exists, they have emulators out there, so the development can be done. You're misplacing your blame instead of getting around the issue.

Endomondo just released an update, and with it, Bluetooth 4.0 LE support. Clearly they can get around the hurdle of waiting for the OEMs, why can't you?

 

[Joel S.]

Microsoft owns nokia, not much more to say there then.

The acquisition was completed on April 25th, well past the Build conference, and after the DP was released. Up until that point, MS COULD NOT show any special favor to Nokia or they'd risk having the acquisition put into question and dissolved by the government.

So yea, that didn't matter one iota.

Either way, they're not the only OEM out there. Samsung and HTC have to build and package in their drivers as well. MS can't release them over the air for just one OEM, that would undo all the work they've done trying to get more OEMs on board.

 

[thatuxguy]

Your attitude sucks.

It's not a theory, it's a FACT. MS released the Preview to OEMs the day we got it, so Nokia was able to build the drivers and push them out with the phone (it's possible MS released beta versions to OEMs as well). Cyan will include the drivers when it's pushed to everyone else.

MS gave you the tools to develop it. The SDK exists, they have emulators out there, so the development can be done. You're misplacing your blame instead of getting around the issue.

Endomondo just released an update, and with it, Bluetooth 4.0 LE support. Clearly they can get around the hurdle of waiting for the OEMs, why can't you?

My attitude sucks because all I have had is **** off the people in here bar one user for asking a simple question/having a minor rant. The hurdle is getting a company you work for to get the required bluetooth dev kits and having some engineer program them. Plus Endomondo already have a code base to work from and use I think use xamarin (apparently). I'm coding this from scratch!

If I was a consumer moaning about it I'd understand.

But then u don't have ur boss asking why it's not working, then explaining that BLE is disabled. Only for them to then question why, when BLE was enabled previously in an update.