Xcode Swift communicate with nearby IOS devices

Question

I am developing an IOS app and I am checking if it is possible to communicate with other IOS devices within a close radius (like around 30 ft max) while my app is running in the background and trigger an event when a connection is made. Is this possible? I have attempted this in kivy but it did not work out. Thanks for any responses in advance!

Answer 1

If this is communication between two iOS devices then yes this is theoretically possible given that 30ft is well within the Bluetooth/BLE range. I've worked with apps were background operations were possible for +20meters (~60ft) without an issue, and this would've extended even further if the RF environment isn't busy. That being said, practically there are many variables that affect this including the environment that you are in, the type of the phone, if the phone has a case, and if you are in fact communicating between two phones etc. I would still think that 30ft is achievable in most cases, but it cannot be guaranteed 100% of the time. The links below talk about the theoretical vs practical Bluetooth range:-

• Things you should know about Bluetooth range
• What is the range of Bluetooth
• The Challenge of Bluetooth Distance Estimation
• Understanding iBeacon Distancing

As for background processing for iOS apps, Apple have a very useful detailed guide on how to get this working and I've left a few useful links as well:-

• CoreBluetooth background processing for iOS apps
• iOS - Scan and connect to a BLE peripheral in the background
• Overcoming the iOS background limitation
• iOS CoreBluetooth: App running in background when BLE is disconnected
• Hacking the overflow area