Bluetooth Low Energy on Android: Top Tips for the Tricky Bits

on YouTube ↗46m

" summary

Android BLE advice is pragmatic: build a central-role client for Android (Lollipop+) or Android Things, expect to manage 7 concurrent connections and an Android-only limit of 15 notification subscriptions, and require coarse location permission plus location services to scan. Implement a single command queue that serializes GATT operations, always call discoverServices after connect, handle frequent intermittent disconnects with timed reconnects and retries, and tear down and restart the connection on unexplained failures.

AI-written summary · about

" chapters (16)

1. 0:00Introduction and speaker intro
2. 1:25BLE basics recap
3. 8:52Android BLE landscape
4. 11:40Planning and preparing app
5. 13:25Checking BLE support
6. 16:13Scanning for peripherals
7. 21:55Handling scan results
8. 23:18Connecting to devices
9. 25:05Command queuing and sequencing
10. 29:57Discovering services
11. 31:41Reading characteristics
12. 32:42Writing characteristics
13. 33:03Enabling notifications
14. 36:16Disconnecting cleanly
15. 38:42Advanced BLE issues
16. 40:28Q&A session

" related talks

• 35mState of BLE on Android in 2022Erik Hellman · droidcon London 2022
• 38mBluetooth LE for Modern Android DevelopmentErik Hellman · droidcon Berlin 2021
• 40mState of Bluetooth LE on Android in 2023Erik Hellman · Android Makers by droidcon 2023
• 38mBest Practices for Bluetooth DevelopmentRich Hyndman, Matthew Xie, Sara Sinclair Brody · Google I/O 2013
• 21mConnecting the bean – The bumpy road of BLE on AndroidHugo Visser · droidcon Berlin 2015
• 34mA journey in Android's BLE worldPaolo Rotolo · droidcon London 2024
• 39mTalking to your bike and other devices (wait, what?)Walmyr Carvalho · droidcon London 2022
• 31mAn introduction to Bluetooth mesh for Android developersMartin Woolley · Droidcon Italy 2018