Bluetooth® Wireless Technology

One significant factor contributing to the remarkable triumph of Bluetooth® technology lies in its remarkable adaptability, empowering developers with immense flexibility.

With the provision of two radio options, Bluetooth technology equips developers with a versatile array of comprehensive solutions tailored to address the continually evolving demands for wireless connectivity.

The Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) and Bluetooth Classic radios are crafted to fulfil the distinct requirements of developers globally, whether it’s for products streaming top-notch audio from a smartphone to a speaker, transferring data between a tablet and a medical device, or facilitating message exchange among myriad nodes in a building automation setup.

Bluetooth® Classic

The Bluetooth Classic radio, known as Bluetooth Basic Rate/Enhanced Data Rate (BR/EDR), operates on low power and transmits data across 79 channels within the 2.4GHz unlicensed industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) frequency band.

Primarily facilitating point-to-point device communication, Bluetooth Classic is predominantly utilized for serving as the prevalent radio protocol for wireless speakers, headphones, and in-car entertainment systems. Additionally, the Bluetooth Classic radio supports various data transfer applications, including mobile printing.

Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE)

The Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) radio is meticulously engineered for ultra-low power consumption. Operating across 40 channels within the 2.4GHz unlicensed ISM frequency band, it furnishes developers with extensive flexibility to design products tailored to meet the distinctive connectivity needs of their target market. Supporting various communication topologies, from point-to-point to broadcast and the latest addition, mesh, Bluetooth LE facilitates the establishment of dependable, large-scale device networks.

Initially recognised for its prowess in device communications, Bluetooth LE has now gained widespread adoption as a device positioning technology, addressing the escalating demand for precise indoor location services. With added features, Bluetooth LE empowers devices to determine the presence, distance, and direction of other devices efficiently.

About Bluetooth

For more than two decades, the Bluetooth member community has been proving the value of wireless connectivity. From wireless audio and wearable devices to location services and automation solutions, Bluetooth member companies continue to meet the needs of new consumer, commercial, and industrial markets.

Meeting Market Requirements with Tailored Solutions

Bluetooth® technology delivers comprehensive, purpose-built solutions to address the continually growing demands for wireless connectivity. Initially focused on audio streaming, it has evolved to include low-power data transfer. Currently, Bluetooth technology is responding to the market’s call for indoor location services and robust, extensive device networks.

Audio Streaming

Bluetooth® technology has transformed the audio landscape by eliminating the inconvenience of wires from headphones, headsets, speakers, and other devices.

Data Transfer

Bluetooth® technology links billions of everyday devices, spanning from household appliances and fitness trackers to health sensors and medical advancements.

Device Networks

Bluetooth® Mesh proves highly suitable for establishing control, monitoring, and automation systems wherein even thousands of devices necessitate dependable.

Location Services

Bluetooth® technology stands as the preferred developer tool for crafting proximity solutions, employed in point-of-interest information.

Expanding to Meet New Needs

Explore key new use cases where Bluetooth® technology is quickly becoming the developer technology of choice.

Redefining Wireless Connectivity

The Bluetooth SIG member community consistently enhances the capabilities of Bluetooth® technology, driving innovation, opening up new markets, and reshaping the boundaries of what can be achieved in wireless communication.

Bluetooth® LE Audio

Building on 20 years of innovation, LE Audio enhances Bluetooth audio performance, includes support for hearing aids, and introduces Auracast™ broadcast audio, a groundbreaking new Bluetooth feature poised to redefine Bluetooth Technology audio experience and connectivity with the world around us.

Bluetooth® Periodic Advertising with Responses

Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) offers various logical data transport options to cater to diverse device communication requirements. The Periodic Advertising with Responses (PAwR) feature introduces a new Bluetooth LE logical transport tailored to facilitate several novel device communication scenarios, particularly situations requiring a hub to engage in bi-directional communication with numerous end nodes.

A significant application for the PAwR features is the burgeoning Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) market.

Bluetooth® Direction Finding

Launched in January 2019, Direction Finding empowers devices to ascertain the direction of a Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) signal. Supporting both angle of arrival (AoA) and angle of departure (AoD) methods for signal direction estimation, this functionality equips Bluetooth proximity solutions with directional capabilities, enriching the user experience.

Additionally, Bluetooth positioning systems can achieve centimeter-level accuracy, enabling Bluetooth technology to cater to a wide range of positioning needs, from basic to highly precise systems.

Bluetooth® Mesh Networking

Bluetooth® Mesh facilitates the establishment of extensive device networks, making it perfect for control, monitoring, and automation systems involving hundreds or even thousands of interconnected devices.

Specifically crafted to meet the stringent demands of commercial and industrial settings, Bluetooth Mesh prioritizes easy deployment, dependable and scalable operation, and robust security. Networked Lighting Control stands out as a prime example of an application swiftly adopting Bluetooth Mesh technology.

Bluetooth® High Speed

Introduced in December 2016, the LE 2M PHY enhances the data rate achievable between Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) devices, doubling that of the original LE 1M PHY. This advancement in data transfer performance and spectral efficiency is particularly beneficial for the increasing array of IoT devices linked to smartphones by consumers.

These include sports and fitness wearables, as well as Bluetooth medical devices tasked with transmitting crucial information or administering medication with greater frequency and precision. Despite doubling the data rate, the LE 2M PHY maintains a range of approximately eighty percent of the original LE 1M PHY.

Bluetooth® Extended Advertising

Introduced in December 2016, Extended Advertising brings a fresh method to Bluetooth LE advertising, aiming to significantly enhance both efficiency and reliability when broadcasting substantial data volumes. With this addition, LE Advertising now offers two modes of operation: Legacy Advertising (the original mode) and Extended Advertising.

Key features of Extended Advertising include expanding the maximum size of advertising data from 31 to 254 bytes, transferring advertising data to the 37 data channels, and synchronizing the transmission of advertising data between sending and receiving devices.

Bluetooth® Long Range

Introduced in December 2016, the LE Coded PHY enhances the range achievable between Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) devices, quadrupling that of the original LE 1M PHY. This advancement enables automation systems capable of providing coverage for entire buildings.

By employing Forward Error Correction (FEC) in Bluetooth transmissions, the LE Coded PHY extends the achievable range without requiring an increase in transmit power, and it facilitates data recovery at the receiver without necessitating retransmission. The LE Coded PHY incorporates two coding schemes: S=2, which doubles the range while supporting a data rate of 500 kb/s, and S=8, which quadruples the range while supporting a data rate of 125 kb/s.

Bluetooth Technology's Attributes Facilitating Connectivity

Explore the fundamental qualities that have established Bluetooth® technology as the worldwide benchmark for wireless connectivity.