Bluetooth has come a long way since its inception in 1994 by Ericsson. Continuous enhancements in each new version have greatly expanded Bluetooth’s capabilities and applications. The latest Bluetooth 5 standard significantly increases data transfer speeds up to 2Mbps and extends operational range up to 800ft outdoors. This allows high-quality audio/video streaming and improves connection stability. Bluetooth 5 also enables broadcasting to multiple devices simultaneously.
The advent of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) has enabled new use cases by dramatically reducing power consumption. Combining the high bandwidth of Classic Bluetooth and ultra-low power consumption of BLE, Bluetooth 5 achieves both high data rates and low energy usage. This dual mode is ideal for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. BLE is now the predominant version used in smartphones, wearables, smart home devices, and various sensors.
High accuracy positioning and tracking is facilitated by the Bluetooth Direction Finding feature which uses the angle of arrival method. This is useful for indoor navigation, asset tracking, and proximity-based services. Enhanced data security is ensured through the Bluetooth Secure Connections feature which uses 128-bit AES encryption.
The new Bluetooth mesh networking standard enables many-to-many device communication. Thousands of BLE devices can be interconnected to form a mesh network covering an entire building or facility. This is transforming smart home automation, industrial IoT, and smart cities. Lighting, appliances, sensors can all connect into a Bluetooth mesh network and be controlled from a smartphone.
Looking ahead, Bluetooth will continue to evolve by integrating with other wireless technologies. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi coordination will allow seamless handovers as users move between zones. Bluetooth with 5G cellular will facilitate advanced use cases like autonomous vehicles, remote healthcare, industrial automation and other mission-critical applications requiring low latency. The future looks bright for Bluetooth as it continues to be the ubiquitous short-range wireless standard powering the Internet of Things.
