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Bluetooth Technology

Feb. 17, 2025
Bluetooth provides wireless connectivity for applications from IoT configuration to streaming audio.

Bluetooth is a low-power, wireless network initially designed as a personal area network (PAN). It has been used for wireless audio transmission and linking devices such as smartphones and PCs to keyboard, mice, and a host of other Bluetooth-enabled devices. The Bluetooth SIG manages all Bluetooth specifications

This TechXchange includes articles and videos related to Bluetooth standards, testing, and comparisons with other wireless protocols used for applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT). Bluetooth continues to evolve, adding new features like distance measurement and audio broadcasting. 

Bluetooth Features

Bluetooth provides a range of functionality from streaming audio to controlling Bluetooth-enabled devices.

Bluetooth Adds Broadcast and Channel Sounding
Auracast brings broadcasting to Bluetooth while Channel Sounding provides distance measurements.
Bluetooth Channel Sounding Demo with Wireless MCUs Empower Innovation
The MCX W Series pin-compatible multiprotocol wireless MCUs enable interoperable and innovative smart-home devices, building automation sensors and controls, and smart energy ...
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Matter is a unifying connection environment for IoT, but adding something to the mix often includes Bluetooth.
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The Bluetooth SIG’s new Bluetooth LE Audio set of standards consists of a comprehensive set of specifications designed to support the next 20 years of audio development.
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New networking enhancement lets Bluetooth continue its reign as the top wireless technology.

What's the Difference Between Bluetooth and ...

Bluetooth is often compared to different wireless technologies. Each offers their own set of advantages and disadvantages compared to Bluetooth. 

Check out our Quick Poll: What IoT Wireless Protocol Do You Use? to see how Bluetooth matches up with its counterparts. 

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Designers generally opt for one of these two standards when configuring ultra-low-power wireless sensor networks.
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Bluetooth LE Audio is not the same thing as Bluetooth LE—it brings new streaming audio features to Bluetooth.
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For nearly 20 years, Bluetooth has dominated as the short-range technology for wirelessly connected devices. But UWB’s latency and power-efficiency advantages position it as a...
Car Theft Lea Dnew
Automotive keyless entry brings convenience, but this feature gives hackers a new way to unlock or steal cars. Learn about the communication protocols involved and how UWB can...
Dave Nelson, Dreamstime.com
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With the popularity of GPS, location is becoming an important feature for wireless devices. Now, consumers want micro-location, and, in turn, wireless technologies are adapting...
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As the IoT’s reach into daily life is extended, it’s important to understand the various wireless protocols that meet the unique needs of IoT environments.

All About Bluetooth 5

Bluetooth 5 is the latest standard from the Bluetooth SIG.

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The arrival of Bluetooth 5, met with great anticipation, has also triggered a number of misconceptions and outright falsehoods. This article sets about to debunk those myths. ...
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Longer range, faster speed, and larger broadcast message capacity come with Bluetooth 5, which makes it an even stronger wireless competitor in the IoT space.
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Texas Instruments’ SimpleLink CC2640R2F supports the latest Bluetooth 5 standard that supports higher speeds and longer distances.
Dave Nelson, Dreamstime.com
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With the popularity of GPS, location is becoming an important feature for wireless devices. Now, consumers want micro-location, and, in turn, wireless technologies are adapting...
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From BLE BR/EDR to BLE to Bluetooth 5, the wireless communications technology has gone through numerous variations to meet disparate needs. What exactly are the differences between...
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The Bluetooth Low Energy 5.3 chip, developed by Renesas, not only cuts power consumption, but it helps lower an EV’s weight by eliminating sensor wires.

About the Author

William G. Wong | Senior Content Director - Electronic Design and Microwaves & RF

I am Editor of Electronic Design focusing on embedded, software, and systems. As Senior Content Director, I also manage Microwaves & RF and I work with a great team of editors to provide engineers, programmers, developers and technical managers with interesting and useful articles and videos on a regular basis. Check out our free newsletters to see the latest content.

You can send press releases for new products for possible coverage on the website. I am also interested in receiving contributed articles for publishing on our website. Use our template and send to me along with a signed release form. 

Check out my blog, AltEmbedded on Electronic Design, as well as his latest articles on this site that are listed below. 

You can visit my social media via these links:

I earned a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Masters in Computer Science from Rutgers University. I still do a bit of programming using everything from C and C++ to Rust and Ada/SPARK. I do a bit of PHP programming for Drupal websites. I have posted a few Drupal modules.  

I still get a hand on software and electronic hardware. Some of this can be found on our Kit Close-Up video series. You can also see me on many of our TechXchange Talk videos. I am interested in a range of projects from robotics to artificial intelligence. 

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