The Bluetooth Special Interest Group has just announced its new wireless standard – Bluetooth 4.2.
The updated tech means transfers should be faster, smarter, and plenty safer too, thanks to a raft of improvements.
Mark Powell, executive director of the Bluetooth SIG, said: “Bluetooth 4.2 is all about continuing to make Bluetooth Smart the best solution to connect all the technology in your life – from personal sensors to your connected home.”
“Bluetooth Smart is the only technology that can scale with the market, provide developers with the flexibility to innovate, and be the foundation for the IoT.”
First amongst the changes is IP connectivity, meaning Bluetooth Smart sensors will now be able to access the internet directly through IPv6/6LoWPAN.
This is Bluetooth’s attempt at boosting the ‘Internet of Things’ smart home scenario, where both ‘personal- and wide-area control’ is needed.
Next up is security, with the Bluetooth SIG keen to put a stop to unscrupulous snoopers eager to peek at your transfers.
The new improvements mean it should now be tougher for eavesdroppers to track a device without permission via Bluetooth connections.
Finally, the Bluetooth SIG has upped transfer speeds by up to 250 per cent that of previous versions, and promises over-the-air firmware updates for Bluetooth Smart devices will be much ‘faster and more reliable’.
James Chapman, VP of Product Marketing at wireless tech firm CSR, said: “Bluetooth 4.2 solidifies Bluetooth Smart’s position as the most flexible wireless protocol for Internet of Things applications.”
“The combination of security updates will give developers the chance to create secure smart home devices with new levels of intelligence,” he continued.
Chapman added: “The new year will be pivotal for the growth of the home automation market and with this new functionality developers will have a more complete toolset to create the types of devices that appeal to consumers.”
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