Tried to ignore the "Bluetooth is easy" thing, but...
Hardware integration is a pain in the butt. It is WAY different from programming software. Plus, JJP has to pick a hardware module to use, then plan for integration and then buy 100,000 of them for installation. If they pick one that hasnt been tested
Thoroughly, or
Is constrained/missing certain features, they are screwed.
Bluetooth has about 10 different possible implementations, 6 versions in the stack, not including Bluetooth LowE, the stupid new Apple high speed implementation, and a confusing backchain update to Bluetooth Classic.
We dont know what JJP is doing with BT, is it for audio? For data updates? They are likely building on the implementation started with DI, which as a previous owner, I can tell you was super fun, but not really
Playable - more a curiosity than anything. And it probably was just an exercise for the team they just decided to release for kicks.
That said, the biggest hurdle the team likely faces is that they are integrating into a huge pile of existing code which was never intended to integrate this way. Plus as Lloyd said, if Keith is working on 5 (really?!) games at the moment, it's damn hard to get stuff done,
You're always switching gears.
Still, Multimorphic added Bluetooth -AUDIO- to the P3 (I dont believe it does data Transfer which is a whole other ball of wax). I'm getting one of those later this year so I'll find out more.
I don't doubt Keith is working hard on these games, and he HAS said the game will have one more
final update - to include the final wizard mode, character changes and Bluetooth, hopefully some other surprises.
But all This is conspiring against POTC ever really being finished. I heard Keith's comments on Buffalo Pinball, and it sure didn't sound positive to me. He basically said "it'll get done when I have time someday, and you Shouldn't worry about it since
Most people Can't get to The end of the game anyway". Ok...
If it was the only game he's working on, it would have been done long ago, but the longer it takes, the more likely this "final" release date becomes a vanishing point.
Now here's a thing: I've had my game packed up for 3 months now, haven't played it in forever. Once I crank it open maybe I'll feel differently, it's a pretty awesome set of code.