Announced in June 2016, Bluetooth 5 has officially been adopted by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) as the latest version of Bluetooth in December 2016.
Bluetooth 5’s key feature updates include four times range, two times speed, and eight times broadcast message capacity, all compared to Bluetooth 4.2.
The updates surely signal a new era for IoT making it “connectionless” while advancing the beacon landscape and location advertising capabilities in home, enterprise and industrial.
So how will Bluetooth 5 will change our lives and the way we do business?
Increased messaging capacity will lead to more context and richer content for beacons
Bluetooth 5 will include an update on the broadcast messaging capacity, increased eigth times, meaning that the data being transferred will be richer and more intelligent. Bluetooth predicts that “this will be a redefine the way Bluetooth devices transmit information” as it will mean a shift from the app-paired-to-device model to a “connectionless IoT” where there is less need to download an app or connect the app to a device.
Faster connectivity speed, four times the extended range, less power consumption
Bluetooth 5’s extended range will enable data being transferred at a twice faster rate. This will mean faster and optimized responsiveness as well as Bluetooth gaining an edge over power-consuming WiFi as the solution of choice for the communication technology for IoT.
Smarter homes, airports and cities
The updates will remove the connection and application barriers enabling scenarios for navigation, asset tracking, emergency responses become more seamless. This will benefit airports and smart city applications the most as well as mean more contextual messages triggered via beacons, leveraging even more customized advertising solutions.
More than 371 million Bluetooth enabled beacons are projected to ship by 2020, according to Patrick Connolly, Principal Analyst at ABI Research.
“Bluetooth 5 will transform the way people experience the IoT by making it something that happens simply and seamlessly around them,” said Mark Powell, executive director of the Bluetooth SIG. “Increasing operation range will enable connections to IoT devices that extend far beyond the walls of a typical home, while increasing speed supports faster data transfers and software updates for devices. And now with the ability to broadcast a much richer set of information, Bluetooth 5 will make beacons, location awareness, and other connectionless services an even more relevant part of an effortless and seamless IoT experience”
See the press release by Bluetooth SIG here.