Bluetooth 5 is set to make its debut today, according to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The wireless standard is getting a major upgrade from Bluetooth 4.2.
The newest version will pack twice the speed, and four times the range, of existing low-energy Bluetooth transmissions, according to Mark Powell, executive director of Bluetooth SIG.
Technical improvements include new functionality for connection-free services, including navigation and location-specific information.
“By adding significantly more capacity to advertising transmissions, Bluetooth 5 will further propel the adoption and deployment of beacons and location-based services to users around the world,” Powell said.
