Adafruit Bluefruit LE - Bluetooth®Low Energy (BLE 4.0) - nRF8001 Breakou

The Adafruit Bluefruit LE nRF8001 Breakout simplifies creating a wireless communication link between your Arduino and iOS or Android (4.3+) devices. It functions by mimicking a UART device, enabling straightforward data exchanges without extensive setup.

Designed for flexibility, this module eliminates the constraints often associated with traditional Bluetooth on the iOS platform. With BLE’s open development environment, users can easily design and distribute custom peripherals on the App Store.

Prototyping is streamlined with the Bluefruit LE Connect app, which features a "serial console" for data transfer and an "Arduino pin I/O control station" for interactive control. This setup supports data transmission up to 10 meters, bringing your projects to life with ease.

For effortless integration, the nRF8001 serves as a BLE peripheral, compatible with any microcontroller using an SPI interface, backed by accessible C++ code examples. However, it requires a supporting microcontroller to function due to its non-stand-alone nature.

While the nRF8001 is still fully supported, consider exploring the more advanced Bluefruit LE nRF51822 modules. They offer enhanced performance, requiring less Arduino-side code, and boast FCC/CE approval. Ideal for users adept with BLE apps or utilizing existing applications, this versatile breakout meets diverse project needs with efficacy.