In an e-mail sent by Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), executive director Mark Powell states that Bluetooth 5 will also be capable of data transfers up to 2Mbps and a maximum range of 300 meters in optimal conditions.
Bluetooth 5 will also feature larger “advertising packets”, which allows Bluetooth devices to send information to other Bluetooth devices even if they are not paired. Examples of information revealed by “packets” are names of other Bluetooth devices within range.
A similar technology is used by Apple for Macs and iDevices, and can be useful for Bluetooth beacons or other location profile devices such as Microsoft's Treasure Tag.
“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 in the letter.
He adds that Bluetooth 5 will be marketed without the full version-number (Bluetooth 5.1, Bluetooth 5.2, etc.), which follows a general rebranding last January.
“Our new naming approach is focused on simplifying our marketing, communicating user benefits more effectively and making it easier to signal significant technology updates to the market,” he said.
New Bluetooth versions usually require new Bluetooth hardware. Bluetooth 5.0 devices and accessories will likely appear in the next few months.
