Bluetooth 6.0 Announced With Support for Precise Device Tracking, Improved Security

Bluetooth 6.0 — the first major update to the wireless connectivity standard in eight years — was released by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) earlier this week. The arrival of the new version means that upcoming hardware with Bluetooth 6.0 support will be able to offer new features that could enable precise measurement of distance between two devices more accurately, secure Bluetooth communication while using digital keys, while also saving power. The new Bluetooth version will also reduce latency on compatible devices.

The Bluetooth SIG explained the details of the latest Bluetooth Core Specification version update via a post on its website. One of the most notable features that will be accessible to users is called Bluetooth Channel Sounding. However, Bluetooth 6.0 also includes support for six low-level technical changes that won't be directly visible to users with compatible devices, according to the group.

Bluetooth 6.0 Features

The most important feature coming to devices that support the new version is called Bluetooth Channel Sounding. This feature will make it much easier for two Bluetooth 6.0 to locate each other, via accurate measurements. It is also expected to improve the experience of using Apple's Find My and Google's Find My Device networks, which currently allow users to locate missing objects via Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology.

The new Bluetooth Channel Sounding feature will also improve the security of digital keys — such as the ones used on certain vehicles — by ensuring that they work only when they are within a specific range. Devices with Bluetooth 6.0 connectivity should also be able to offer other distance awareness features from third party developers, according to the Bluetooth SIG.

Monitoring Advertisers is another feature coming to Bluetooth 6.0 devices that will enable them to be aware when a device of interest enters and exits its Bluetooth range. This could help the host device save energy be eliminating the need to scan for a device that is not in the vicinity.

Bluetooth 6.0 also brings support for Decision-based Advertising Filtering, a new functionality that should result in even more power savings, as compatible devices will no longer scan for secondary channels, until the relevant information is received on the primary channel.

Gamers who prefer using wireless accessories for in-game conversations, as well as people who use wireless audio devices for video calls, will see lower latency while using Bluetooth 6.0 devices. Thanks to the new Isochronous Adaptation Layer (ISOAL) Enhancement feature, data frames will be transmitted in smaller link-layer packets, as per details shared by the Bluetooth SIG.

It can take a while for manufacturers to introduce new devices with the latest Bluetooth standard, and this is also expected to be the case with Bluetooth 6.0. It's worth keeping in mind that you'll need to have a smartphone as well as a wireless accessory that both support the next-generation Bluetooth version in order to take advantage of all the new features, which means that it could be several months before Bluetooth 6.0 devices arrive in global markets.