On September 3rd, the Bluetooth SIG announced the Bluetooth Core Specification version 6.0. This latest version introduces a series of upgrades into version 6.0 that enhance performance, security, and efficacy in Bluetooth-connected devices. From increased awareness of distances to much-advanced data handling, this array of updates will surely change how a developer will bring Bluetooth technology to his products.
What’s new in Bluetooth 6.0
The latest update includes significant innovations, such as Bluetooth Channel Sounding, decision-based advertising filtering, and enhancements to the Isochronous Adaptation Layer (ISOAL), among others. Here’s a closer look at the standout features:
1. Bluetooth Channel Sounding
Bluetooth Channel Sounding is one of the new and exciting features which version 6.0 will have. This will ease the way for distance awareness, bringing in proximity-based interaction much more accurately. Consequently, such technology can quickly turn applications like Find My solutions into quick, effective ways to locate lost devices.
In digital key applications, security goes a notch higher with Bluetooth Channel Sounding, where only authorized users within a certain distance will be able to access secure areas. Therefore, it opens up developers to new possibilities in embedding such distance-aware features into daily devices for increased user experiences in various applications.
2. Decision-based advertising filtering
One of the newer and improved features includes a decision-based advertising filter in Bluetooth Low Energy Extended Advertising. This simply means that a scanning device determines whether to carry on secondary channels or not. Through the primary channel packets, this greatly increases the efficiency of such scanning and hence allows much more direct and quicker interactions between devices using Bluetooth.
3. Monitoring advertisers
The other major enhancement with 6.0 is called Monitoring Advertisers, which helps LE controllers manage duplicate packets that are being advertised. Before this update, devices could potentially waste energy scanning for a device that was no longer in range. Via the HCI events, as a device moves in or out of range, the host is informed; thus, it keeps power use optimized and connectivity more efficient.
4. ISOAL enhancement
ISOAL has been significantly improved with the update to version 6.0. The layer ensures that large data frames are transmitted with a minimum amount of it in smaller packets, introducing a new framing mode that reduces latency. It will work very well with latency-sensitive applications such as audio streaming. Data transmission has been improved in various ways to make it more reliable for giving high-quality Bluetooth experiences.
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5. LL extended feature set
Bluetooth LE’s increasing capabilities resulted in an upgrade to the Link-Layer Extended Feature Set. Eventually, the devices are allowed to become aware of more specific information that describes the link-layer features supported by other devices. In the meantime, this brings more compatibility between different devices and additional functionality.
6. Frame space update
The new Frame Space update in version 6.0 introduces flexibility into the determination of time intervals between transmissions in a Connection Event; this was fixed at 150 µs until now. That is allowed, however, in the negotiation of frame spacing that could be shorter or even longer according to use. Flexibility that would open up new opportunities for optimization of Bluetooth performance for those applications having special timing requirements.
When will Bluetooth 6.0 devices be available?
With things that early, it is not clear just when the first Bluetooth 6.0-compatible devices may hit the market. Given its specification has just been made available to the hardware manufacturers and the developers, so new products with capability to support this version likely are a year or more into the future.