The Bluetooth® Core Specification recently moved to a bi-annual release schedule. This shift enables more frequent and consistent delivery of completed features, fostering faster innovation and continuous improvements across the Bluetooth ecosystem. Developers and manufacturers now have quicker access to the latest Bluetooth advancements, powering wireless innovation and enhancing overall market responsiveness.
“Moving to a bi-annual release cycle for the Bluetooth® Core Specification represents a pivotal step forward for the entire Bluetooth technology ecosystem,” said Alain Michaud, chair of the Bluetooth SIG Board of Directors. “This new cadence will ensure that incremental improvements and features can reach developers and manufacturers faster, fueling innovation and helping them meet the evolving needs of the market with greater agility.”
The first release under the new bi-annual release schedule, Bluetooth® Core 6.1, published on 6 May 2025. This release introduces Bluetooth® Randomized RPA (resolvable private address) Updates, a feature designed to enhance privacy and power efficiency in Bluetooth devices.
Key benefits:
- Increased device privacy: Randomizing the timing of address changes makes it much more difficult for third parties to track or correlate device activity over time
- Improved power efficiency: The Bluetooth® Randomized RPA Updates feature offloads the address change operation to the Controller, helping conserve battery life
Accompanying the release of Bluetooth® Core 6.1 is a new feature description appendix added to the communications guide for supported Bluetooth functionality. This appendix provides clear, high-level descriptions of Bluetooth features, profiles, and applications, ensuring accurate and consistent public messaging. It supports unified communication across the industry, helping member companies clearly convey Bluetooth functionality.
Reminder: Bluetooth SIG members should avoid referencing the Bluetooth® Core Specification version against which a product was qualified (e.g., Bluetooth® Core 6.1) when describing Bluetooth functionality. Instead, members should focus on clearly communicating the specific Bluetooth capabilities (e.g., Bluetooth features) supported, especially those most relevant to your target customers, in product packaging, documentation, and marketing materials.
Learn more about the new feature and additional updates in Bluetooth® Core 6.1.
