What’s New In Bluetooth 6.0 After eight years, a new version of Bluetooth, Bluetooth 6.0, has been released. It includes exciting features that could revolutionize the way our devices connect and interact.
One of the features available in the new version is ‘channel sounding’. Bluetooth is also used to find lost devices. Channel sounding is implemented to make this process more accurate. It also uses two new techniques to locate devices.
That is, it measures how long it takes for a signal from one device to bounce off another device and return to its original location. This can be used to determine how far away a lost device is.
The second technology is PBR or Phase-Based Ranging. It helps detect the difference in the phase of the waves travelling between two devices. Bluetooth version 6.0 can use both technologies to accurately determine how far away a lost device is. It is considered more accurate than previous Bluetooth versions.
This technology is similar to the Ultra Wideband technology that Apple uses in its AirTags. However, since Bluetooth is a widely used open standard, it is expected that Bluetooth 6.0 will be more widely available. After this, the feature that only Apple users have been able to experience will be available to all smartphone users.
The excellent ‘distance sensitivity’ of channel sounding also has a significant impact on physical security. It can ensure that only authorized persons are operating systems such as smart locks powered by Bluetooth. In this case, the authorized person himself must be close to the lock. Only then can the lock be operated.
The features of Bluetooth 6.0 are not limited to this. This version has features related to ‘advertising’. However, most of the advertisements we see have nothing to do with those features. Instead, this feature helps reduce unnecessary battery consumption by Bluetooth devices.
It is called ‘Decision-Based Advertising Filtering’. It works with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). BLE is used by most devices. It connects to the Bluetooth device for the project to which it needs to be connected.
For example, if the phone receives important information from the smartwatch on the primary channel, it may decide to search further on the second channel. But if the information received on the primary channel is not important, the phone will not waste time and battery on the second channel. This way, scanning is faster and more efficient.
Another advertising feature is ‘monitoring advertisers’. A Bluetooth device cannot know whether the device it wants to connect to is within close range. This means that a device may consume more energy to search for the device it wants to connect to. Even if it is out of range.
Your phone’s Bluetooth is also searching for the device in that place. This consumes more battery.
Bluetooth 6.0 is also said to play an important role in audio latency. Especially in the case of data transmission, it is said to help transmit data without reducing quality. Currently, the Bluetooth 5.3 version is the most widely used. Now, if gadget manufacturers provide Bluetooth version 6.0 in new products, we will be able to use the various features mentioned above.
