The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced the next version of the wireless standard under the name "Bluetooth 5" for the end of 2016/beginning of 2017. A longer range should enable reliable connections for the Internet of Things (IoT) in the future, so that complete solutions for homes, large buildings and outdoor areas based on Bluetooth will also be possible. In addition, data can be sent faster and the response behavior has also been improved, according to SIG. And the increased transmission capacity is expected to drive the next generation of connectionless services such as beacons and location-based information distribution and navigation. These advances in Bluetooth technology open up significantly more opportunities for SIG members to make the Internet of Things more accessible and interoperable.

"Bluetooth 5 is changing the way people experience the IoT in the future - as something that happens easily and seamlessly around them," explains Mark Powell, Executive Director, Bluetooth SIG. "The extended range will enable connections to IoT devices far beyond the walls of a home, while the increased speed will support faster data transfers and device software updates. And with the ability to transmit significantly larger data sets, Bluetooth 5 increases the importance of beacons, location tracking and other connectionless services for a frictionless and seamless IoT."

In figures, this means that Bluetooth 5 is set to quadruple the transmission range of low-energy connections, double their speed and simultaneously increase the capacity of connectionless data transmissions by 800 percent. Added to this is the promise: "All this will be possible in parallel with industry-leading performance in energy management."

New application scenarios with version 5

The significant increase in transmission capacity makes it possible to transfer larger, more complex data volumes. This means that data transmission from Bluetooth devices is no longer tied to apps and devices, but is moving towards connectionless IoT. This also reduces the need to download an app or connect an app to a device.

Patrick Connolly, Principal Analyst at ABI Research, estimates that more than 371 million Bluetooth-enabled beacons will be shipped by 2020. With eight times the transmission capacity, Bluetooth 5 should drive the introduction and use of beacons and location-based services in home automation, business and industry. In highly contextual scenarios, such as navigation and pinpoint positioning, Bluetooth 5 transmits user-defined information that people can use directly without connection and app barriers. Examples cited by SIG range from navigation in airport buildings, tracking stock levels or emergency operations to smart city infrastructures to support the visually impaired.

"There are currently 8.2 billion Bluetooth products in use worldwide," adds Powell. "The improvements in Bluetooth 5 and future planned developments in Bluetooth technology will mean that Bluetooth will be included in more than a third of all installed IoT devices by 2020. Bluetooth's momentum and innovation will ensure that our technology remains the IoT solution of choice for all developers."

The success story continues

The Bluetooth SIG sees its 30,000th member as proof that more and more companies are using Bluetooth both technologically and organizationally to develop IoT products and services. Since the end of 2015, the number of members has grown by more than eleven percent to the current record number. The most recent member, the Blossom Group, is a start-up company that produces infrasound and low-frequency products to block out background noise. It is proof that companies of all sizes and industries are joining the SIG because the organization is working with its members to advance the technology and make the world smarter, safer, better and more enjoyable.

"Implementing Bluetooth as our wireless technology and joining the SIG organization was a logical decision to ensure the success of our products," said Luke Sanger, CEO and co-founder of Blossom Group. "Bluetooth offers the ubiquity of a trusted wireless communications platform and has a great history of supporting market trends and working with developers and members to design breakthrough products and applications. We know that Bluetooth, together with its members, will continue to be at the forefront, leveraging technological advances - from energy efficiency to IoT connectivity - to drive innovation ever further."