As I write this blog, Bluetooth SIG are getting close to announcing Bluetooth 5, the latest standard for the omnipresent, short range, wireless technology. The first major upgrade since 2011. (although there have been iterative updates since.)
The last of those iterative updates in December 2014 was Bluetooth 4.2 which added a few features to allow it to work better with the up and coming technology: called Internet of Things (IoT). This time round though, the IoT is much more in the public’s eye and you can be sure Bluetooth 5 will place the relevant functionality front and centre.
So what can we expect from an IoT front?
1) Range
The new Bluetooth 5, will reach up to 4-times the current distance of Bluetooth 4.2. This means it will move beyond being a personal area, short range peripheral network, to a longer range, local area, low-bandwidth network. This puts it in more direct competition with existing IoT standards, such as Z-Wave and Zigbee, both of which are long-range low power network standards.
2) Speed
Bluetooth 5 will be twice as fast as Bluetooth 4.2. Not a massive impact, since long-range low power networks are normally positioned around smaller bandwidth traffic, yet the speed increase should not be dismissed as being inconsequential.
3) Location Services and Expanded broadcast messaging
Bluetooth 5 won't just be about having a longer-range and being faster than before, it will also help facilitate additional location-based functionality. In particular, it should boost the uptake of beacon technology, which will result in significantly improved indoors navigation. This is due to Bluetooth 5 having significantly more capacity to facilitate advertising transmission. This means that it will be able to convey much more information to other compatible devices without forming a connection. Bluetooth already does this in a limited way, in order to notify you about the name and nature of other open Bluetooth networks, but Bluetooth 5 will be able to do much more.
One disappointment is that Bluetooth SIG have made it clear that its new Bluetooth mesh initiative is separate from the new Bluetooth 5 standard. However, they did indicate that mesh for Bluetooth is on its way. Maybe, within the year.
Another thing to bear in mind is your older devices may not be fully compatible with the new standard. Devices should still work, but they will not be able to make use of any of the new features.
So what does this all mean for the IoT?
Bluetooth 5 is a huge step in the right direction, and the hope is that with Bluetooth Mesh, this could be a significant player in the up and coming IoT and Smart Home technologies. And, when it comes down to it, consumers are much more used to wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth than they are of Z-Wave and Zigbee.
So Bluetooth 5 … watch this space
Will Hogarth
Will Hogarth
CTO @ VGS Global
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