Almost every year, Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) announces updated Bluetooth specifications, the wireless connectivity feature that binds our smartphones with various smart accessories such as earbuds, smartwatches, smart rings, fitness trackers, and more. The interest group has now published the specifications for Bluetooth 6.0, a successor to Bluetooth 5.4, and from the looks of it, it could be a game changer. With the latest version of Bluetooth, SIG has managed to address some of the long-term concerns of users, and the new version is all about delivering enhanced features. Here are all the new changes on the Bluetooth 6.0 update, and why your next smartphone should have this updated wireless connectivity feature. Bluetooth 6.0 introduces channel sounding Bluetooth 6.0 is introducing a new capability called channel sounding, where a compatible smartphone or an accessory can now deliver an enhanced low-powered network of wireless devices. Bluetooth 6.0-equipped devices can now accurately determine the presence, distance, and direction of another Bluetooth 6.0-powered device, without compromising on security. The result of this innovation can lead to the creation of new-age tracking devices such as the AirTag, enabling phone or accessories makers to easily identify and track a linked device. This could also enable improved home automation solutions to auto garage or door unlock within a range, enabling auto access to restricted areas to authorised personnel, and more. Decision-based advertising filtering and monitoring Don't worry, Bluetooth 6.0 won't be used to deliver ads like your favourite social media apps. In this context, the advertising is meant for how one Bluetooth device identifies and interacts with other Bluetooth devices. Decision-based advertising ensures that it can automatically decide to scan the secondary device based on the content received on the primary Bluetooth device, which helps with efficiency and can reduce power consumption. Similarly, Bluetooth 6.0 can also monitor and filter out duplicate data, again to improve efficiency. These features will help device developers to improve the user interface and user experience. Bluetooth 6.0 can also transfer large data in smaller link-layered packets, and it is known as the Isochronous Adaptation Layer (ISOAL) enhancement, helping in audio products that need low latency. Lastly, a feature called Frame Space Update on Bluetooth 6.0 improves the throughput between different devices, which will be helpful while upgrading the firmware of earbuds, fitness trackers, and more which solely work on Bluetooth networking. When can we expect Bluetooth 6.0-powered smartphones and accessories? The Snapdragon 8 Elite is one of the first smartphone chips, as per the official listing, that supports Bluetooth 6.0. However, some of the recently introduced phones like the OnePlus 13 and iQOO 13 are still limited to Bluetooth 5.4. Upcoming phones with the same chip are likely to support Bluetooth 6.0 connectivity. Similarly, the iPhone 16 series is currently limited to Bluetooth 5.3, and with the upcoming iPhone 17 series, Apple is likely to jump directly to Bluetooth 6.0. Coming to earbuds, fitness trackers, and tracking devices. The first wave of Bluetooth 6.0-powered accessories should arrive by early 2025.
