Specifications in Development

Enhancing Bluetooth^® Technology

The Bluetooth SIG typically has more than 50 active specification development projects at any given time. These projects include everything from adding minor features to existing Bluetooth specifications to creating new specifications that add major functionality to Bluetooth^® wireless technology.

Below is an overview of several key specification projects currently in progress.

How to get involved

Employees of all Bluetooth SIG member companies are welcome to view the list of active specification development projects in our online specification development support tool, Specification Workspace.

Employees of all Associate and Promoter member companies are also welcome to join any Working Group and participate in its specification development projects.

Key Specification Projects

LE Audio

Building on 20 years of innovation, LE Audio will enhance the performance of Bluetooth audio, add support for hearing aids, and enable Auracast^TM broadcast audio, an innovative new Bluetooth capability with the potential to once again change the way we experience audio and connect with the world around us. More public information about LE Audio can be found here.

This project encompasses new features that have been added to existing specifications as well as the creation of over 20 new Bluetooth specifications. Additional public information about the set of specifications that will define LE Audio can be found here and currently includes:

Recent features introduced in version 5.2 of the Bluetooth Core Specification by the Core Specification Working Group
A set of new specifications that define a new audio middleware being developed within the Generic Audio Working Group
A set of new specifications that define interoperable use cases for LE Audio being developed within the Audio, Telephony and Automotive Working Group and Hearing Aid Working Group

High Accuracy Distance Measurement

Adding to the growing set of device positioning capabilities of Bluetooth^® wireless technology – which currently includes Advertising (for presence), RSSI (for basic distance measurement) and Direction Finding (for high accuracy direction) – a specification development project is currently underway to enable high-accuracy distance measurement between two Bluetooth enabled devices. This feature is expected to enable the creation of locating systems that can provide even higher levels of accuracy.

This project currently includes:

Enhancements being made to the Bluetooth Core Specification taking place within the Core Specification Working Group
A new profile specification being developed within the Direction Finding Working Group

Higher Data Throughput

Added to Bluetooth^® wireless technology in 2016, the LE 2M PHY doubled the data rate that could be achieved between Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) devices from the original LE 1M PHY. The LE 2M PHY was introduced to address a number of market opportunities, including enhancing data transfer performance for the growing number of IoT devices consumers were connecting to their smartphones.

Today, an increasing number of these connected devices are looking for even greater data transfer performance, as well as support for streaming larger media, and could benefit from an even higher data rate Bluetooth LE PHY. The Higher Data Throughput project was established to address that growing market need.

This project currently includes enhancements being made to the Bluetooth Core Specification taking place within the Core Specification Working Group.