Bluetooth spec is getting new features and upgrades in 2016

27 January 2016 Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT News

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has previewed highlights from its 2016 technology roadmap, with planned enhancements focused squarely on increasing its Internet of Things (IoT) functionality.

Key updates include longer range, higher speeds and mesh networking, aimed at enabling fast-growing industries such as smart home, industrial automation, location-based services and smart infrastructure.

There is significant demand from Bluetooth SIG members and the industry at large to enhance Bluetooth with these new capabilities, according to Toby Nixon, chairman of the group’s board of directors. “Current projections put the market potential for IoT between $2 and $11,1 trillion by 2025. The technical updates planned for Bluetooth technology in 2016 will help make these expectations a reality and accelerate growth in IoT.”

The range of Bluetooth Smart is set to increase up to fourfold, to deliver a more robust connection for full-home or outdoor use cases. A doubling of speed, allegedly without increasing energy consumption, will enable faster data transfers in critical applications such as medical devices, increasing responsiveness and lowering latency. Finally, mesh networking will enable Bluetooth devices to connect together in networks that can cover an entire building or home, opening up home and industrial automation applications.

Bluetooth SIG member tools, like the recently launched Bluetooth Developer Studio, and training programmes will be updated to ensure strong developer support for these new IoT features. Additional features and profile updates contained in the 2016 roadmap have been promised for the coming months.

For more information visit www.bluetooth.com

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