The Samsung Galaxy J1 Mini recently got certified by the Bluetooth SIG (Photo : Reuters)
Bluetooth is getting an upgrade as the Special Interest Group announced that Bluetooth 5.0 can be expected at early 2017 or late 2016 at its earliest.
Most mobile phone users have forgotten how useful Bluetooth is because most smartphones today can transfer files using their own mobile WLAN connection. However, Bluetooth 5.0 will still be important especially for the Internet of Things.
IoT can rely both on WiFi connections at home but the larger scale products such as connected security cameras and motion detectors outside need to rely on a more stable connection.
Bluetooth 5.0 is claimed to quadruple the range of connection while still consuming the same low amount of power as the previous generations, Engadget has learned. The data transfer speed will also be doubled.
This means that the newer IoT products will have no problems reaching their hubs even if they are placed far from them inside a home. They will also be able to transfer their data twice as fast while still using minimal power compared to using a WiFi connection.
SIG estimates that the Bluetooth 5.0 connections will power one-third of the IoT devices across the globe by 2020, PC Magazine reported. They can be used not only in homes but also in business installations as well.
They can be used as markers for inventories inside a warehouse. Instead of having to browse stacks, the connection can just be used to pinpoint the exact location.
Mark Powell, the Executive Director of SIG, said that Bluetooth 5.0 will make connectionless services "more relevant" for a "seamless IoT experience." One example is that Bluetooth pairing could be extinct by then as devices will be able to instantly connect without having to go through the hassle of pairing them.
Speakers will instantly connect to a smartphone and wireless keyboards will activate quickly instead of having to set them up. Transferring files could even be faster than mobile WLAN connections.
SIG expects Bluetooth 5.0 to start appearing in devices later this year or the first two quarters of 2017. Consumers who are looking to buy IoT devices for their homes or businesses may want to wait until the new technology will arrive on the products.
