Technology roadmap

With Bluetooth® technology, the possibilities are endless. What Bluetooth connectivity enables is boundless and in step with the needs of people, businesses, and industries. But Bluetooth is more than a technology. Thousands of members around the world come together to bring bold new ideas to life, powering innovation, creating new markets, and shaping the future of wireless communication. Typically, there are more than 50 active specification projects in process, and here are some of the recent and upcoming enhancements to Bluetooth technology.

Recent & upcoming major enhancements

MAJOR ENHANCEMENT

Bluetooth® Channel Sounding

Introduced last year, Bluetooth® Channel Sounding is a secure, fine-ranging feature that promises to enhance the convenience, safety, and security of Bluetooth connected devices. Thanks to Bluetooth® Channel Sounding, a new wave of secure, reliable mobile-based access control systems are simplifying entry while enhancing security for vehicles, homes, commercial offices, and more. Automotive brands are integrating Bluetooth digital keys, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start their vehicles with their smartphones. Similarly, Bluetooth smart locks are becoming a standard in many residential and commercial buildings.

MAJOR ENHANCEMENT

Ultra-low latency HID

The ultra-low latency (ULL) human interface device (HID) enhancement project aims to make Bluetooth® gaming controllers as responsive as those using USB-wired or proprietary wireless communications. This enhancement, which intends to support polling rates as high as 1000 Hz, could also improve the user experience for other latency-sensitive devices, including controllers and sensors for augmented, virtual, or mixed-reality (AR/VR/MR) scenarios.

MAJOR ENHANCEMENT

High data throughput

Added to Bluetooth® technology in 2016, the LE 2M PHY doubled the data rate that could be achieved between Bluetooth® LE devices from the original LE 1M PHY. The LE 2M PHY was introduced to enhance the performance of existing use cases as well as enable many new ones, including Bluetooth® LE Audio. Today, Bluetooth devices are looking for even greater performance as well as the ability to support streaming of even larger media and could benefit from an even higher data rate Bluetooth LE PHY. The high data throughput project was established to address this growing market need and intends to support data rates approaching 8 Mbps.

MAJOR ENHANCEMENT

High frequency bands

A specification development project is underway to define the operation of Bluetooth® LE in additional unlicensed mid-band spectrum, including both the 5 and 6 GHz frequency bands. With over five billion products shipping each year, Bluetooth technology is the most widely deployed wireless standard in the world. A key reason for its unmatched adoption and success is the continual evolution of the technology in critical areas, including higher data throughput, lower latency, greater positioning accuracy, and better co-existence. The new spectrum expansion project will help ensure that these Bluetooth performance enhancements can continue well into the future, paving the way for the next generation of Bluetooth innovation.

MAJOR ENHANCEMENT

Bluetooth® LE Audio enhancements

Bluetooth® LE Audio represents an entirely new platform for supporting audio applications on Bluetooth technology. Beyond enhancing existing Bluetooth applications like wireless calling and media, Bluetooth LE Audio is set to drive innovation in wireless audio for decades to come.

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How Bluetooth® connectivity works with other standards

Thanks to the strength and flexibility of the Bluetooth® standard, Bluetooth connectivity continues to be integrated into other popular wireless standards.

Digital key standards

Bluetooth® technology plays a critical role in automotive digital key solutions, ensuring seamless, secure vehicle access. As a vital enabling technology in the digital key standards from the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), Institute for Car Connectivity Europe (ICCE), and China Association of Automotive Intelligence (ICCOA), Bluetooth connectivity allows you to unlock and start your vehicles with your smartphone.

Smart home standards

Bluetooth® connectivity enables easy, secure device setup, playing a key role in the Matter smart home standard. In the ZigBee smart home standard, Bluetooth technology supports direct device control from smartphones, supporting seamless user interaction and easy configuration while enabling the creation of flexible applications that combine the strengths of both technologies.

Wi-Fi standards

Wi-Fi’s Easy Connect standard simplifies device onboarding by using Bluetooth® technology to securely provision Wi-Fi credentials, reducing complexity while enhancing the user experience when connecting devices to Wi-Fi ® networks. Additionally, many devices that use the Wi-Fi Direct standard rely on Bluetooth connectivity for initial pairing.

Device forecast

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