It’s official, Bluetooth 6.0 is now available. The new version of the wireless communication protocol brings new features that should make users’ lives easier.
Since its creation in 1998 by Ericsson, Intel, IBM, Nokia and Toshiba, Bluetooth has become essential. Whether it is to listen to music on a speaker, in wireless headphones, to share audio-visual files, or to connect a mouse or keyboard to a computer, many people use Bluetooth. But if this technology is so appreciated by its users, it is above all because it is free, easy to use, but also because it is constantly evolving. The proof? In a blog post published this Tuesday, September 3, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) consortium made a big announcement. The organization, which oversees the development of Bluetooth standards and licenses the brand and technology to manufacturers of digital devices, has made official the launch of Bluetooth 6.0. A major update for the technology since several very useful functions have been added.
Bluetooth 6.0: faster, more precise and more economical
One of the major new features of Bluetooth 6.0 is a function called Channel Sounding. This option, which can be compared to Ultra Wide Band (UWB), allows you to measure the distance between two devices connected together. A particularly useful addition for lost devices since they can be located even more quickly, but above all with more precision, on the order of a centimeter. A new feature that could make life easier for people who have the bad habit of losing their things. “This innovation brings true distance awareness, introducing transformative benefits across various applications. The user experience of Find My solutions can be greatly improved, making locating lost items easier and faster.”explains the consortium in its press release.
On the security side, this feature is just as beneficial for fans of digital keys. Indeed, the opening of doors equipped with connected locks, such as on certain cars or in hotels, can now be limited if necessary. “Only authorized users in a range [horaire, NDLR] specific ones will be able to unlock doors or access secure areas”assures the Bluetooth SIG in its press release.
In its latest update, the consortium has also optimized Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) technology. This feature, which was launched at the time of Bluetooth 4.0, should offer better performance while being more energy efficient. Support for “associated packets transmitted on primary and secondary radio channels” should be improved in particular. Devices now have the ability to analyze bandwidth more efficiently, sending smaller data packets, reducing latency and improving the reliability of transmissions. Above all, by consuming less energy in their transmissions, mobile Bluetooth devices operating on battery (smartphones, headphones, speakers, keyboards, mice, etc.) will see their autonomy greatly improved.
Major additions that should put a smile on the face of all users since the lifespan of devices could increase significantly thanks to less stressed batteries. Unfortunately, we will have to be patient before being able to test these new features, because if the standards have changed, manufacturers have not yet had time to integrate them into their devices.