Bluetooth 5 is finally here, bringing 4x the range and 2x the speed

Bluetooth 5 was unveiled on June 16th of this year, and today has officially come to market as a technology ready for implementation.

The biggest additions to the standard are increased range, speed, message capacity, and interoperability. The goal for this version of the wireless connection standard is aimed at Internet of Things technologies, which require strong connections that can relay information instantly across large homes. The company says it can deliver four times the range, two times the speed, and eight times the broadcast message capacity. This isn’t just a 4.3 standard upgrade, it’s 5.0 for a reason.

Bluetooth 5.0 was also made to reduce interference with similar wireless technologies which should vastly improve connectivity. Even with all of these updates, the new standard should still remain extremely low power just like it’s predecessors. This should ensure that consumers can have a streamlined experience without having to worry about battery usage. With four times the range like the company is touting, consumers should be able to walk around their house with a headset without having to worry about having their phone on them at all times.

Are there any products you wanted to see take advantage of the technology? The biggest thing for me would be wireless headphones, allowing users to have a large distance delta between them and their phone or computer before the connection breaks.