The Internet of Things (IoT) continues to grow: by early 2025, 18.8 billion connected devices were already in use worldwide, according to IoT Analytics. Projections indicate that this number will exceed 40 billion by 2030.
Interestingly, the technologies behind this interconnected universe are not obscure—quite the opposite. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular networks account for nearly 80% of all IoT connections. These are technologies we use daily in our smartphones, smartwatches, headphones, or home routers, and they are also transforming factories, supply chains, and entire cities.
In other words, the same connections we use at home or at work are also the basis for a large part of current IoT projects.
In this article, we will focus on short-range IoT connectivity technologies, analyzing Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other solutions that allow nearby devices to communicate efficiently, reliably, and tailored to different environments.
Wi-Fi: speed and versatility
31% of IoT connections use Wi-Fi, according to WebbyLab (September 2024).
Its main advantage is high speed and universal compatibility, making it the natural choice for smart homes, offices, and industrial applications where infrastructure already exists. It can support data-intensive applications, suitable for video streaming and other large data applications.
Use cases:
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Home security cameras connected to the cloud.
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Smart thermostats that adjust temperature based on household routines.
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Industrial machinery monitoring sensors in factories.
Its limitation? Energy consumption and congestion in saturated environments. This technology supports hundreds of simultaneous connections to a single access point, although practical limitations often reduce this number depending on the network configuration.
Bluetooth: low power and proximity
Bluetooth—including its Low Energy (BLE) variant—accounts for approximately 27% of IoT connections, according to WebbyLab.
It is one of the most common short-range (and low-power) wireless technologies, used in wearables, sensors, and health gadgets. It is widely adopted across everyday devices.
Use cases:
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Smart bands and watches that measure heart rate and steps.
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Wireless headphones and portable audio devices.
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Smart tags for asset or inventory tracking in warehouses.
The latest development in this technology is Bluetooth 6.0, launched in September 2024, which incorporated new features such as Bluetooth channel detection. However, the most widely used standards today are Bluetooth 4.0, 5.0, and higher. According to Moko Smart, Bluetooth 5.0 offers transmission speeds of up to 2 Mbit/s, while version 4.2 offered up to 1 Mbit/s.
Its omnipresence makes it accessible, although its range remains limited.
Moko Smart highlights that to address Bluetooth’s weakness in terms of power consumption, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) was introduced. The development of this protocol “has been highly successful and widely adopted worldwide.” One of the main reasons is that it maintains compatibility with existing Bluetooth devices while offering significantly reduced power consumption.
Furthermore, it is important to note that Bluetooth Low Energy is specifically designed for low-power devices used in the Internet of Things (IoT). It does not replace existing classic Bluetooth. BLE uses the same 2.4 GHz ISM band as Bluetooth. Unlike classic Bluetooth, which supports up to 7 devices connected to a single master device, BLE allows up to 128 devices. BLE uses 40 channels 2 MHz wide and an adaptive frequency hopping algorithm to optimize performance and minimize interference.
Cellular networks: wide coverage and reliability
Cellular or mobile networks (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE-M, and NB-IoT) account for around 20% of IoT connections, according to data from WebbyLab.
Additionally, a report by Mordor Intelligence (2025) indicates that cellular solutions reached 40.2% of the IoT device market in 2024 and strong growth is expected for LPWAN technologies, with a CAGR of 22.2% between 2025 and 2030.
Their key advantage is global coverage and scalability, making them a key option for industrial, logistics, and urban deployments. Although they require higher investment and energy consumption, they offer the reliability needed for critical operations.
Use cases:
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Connected vehicles that send real-time data for navigation and maintenance.
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Remote monitoring of crops or irrigation systems in precision agriculture.
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Tracking of containers and assets in international logistics.
To give you a quick and clear overview of how these technologies compare, we summarize their key characteristics in the following table: from range and speed, to energy consumption and the most common applications. This allows you to see at a glance which technology might be most suitable depending on the type of IoT project or device.
| Technology | Typical Range | Speed | Energy Consumption | Key Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | 10–100 m (indoor) | Up to 1 Gbit/s (Wi-Fi 6) | High | Home security cameras, smart thermostats, industrial sensors |
| Bluetooth (BLE) | 10–100 m | 1–2 Mbps | Very Low | Smartwatches and fitness trackers, wireless headphones, inventory tracking tags |
| Cellular Networks (LTE-M, NB-IoT, 5G) | 1–10 km in urban environments, up to 50 km in rural or open areas | Variable (kbps to Mbps) | Medium to High | Connected vehicles, remote crop monitoring, container tracking |
Quick Comparison: Short-Range IoT Technologies | MindDen
With 18.8 billion connected devices in 2025 and projections exceeding 40 billion by 2030, connectivity will be a key factor driving competitiveness and innovation in IoT in the coming years. This push towards greater connectivity is reflected in events such as the IoT Solutions World Congress 2025, held in Barcelona, where the latest trends in IoT, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity were presented. This event underscores how the combination of emerging technologies is shaping the future of the connected industry.
And if you’re still not familiar with The Internet of Things (IoT), check out this article:
IoT, Explained Clearly at Last: What It Is, Its Purpose, and Why You Already Use It Daily