The next phone you buy could see a new version of Bluetooth boasting improvements to reliability and location sensing tech, too.
Wireless audio is a part of life these days, found in headphones, earphones, earbuds, and speakers, and Bluetooth is largely to thank. There’s more going on with wireless sound, but if you’re listening to sound sans-cords, you’re probably existing with Bluetooth in the best possible way.
However, Bluetooth can improve beyond simply finding a way to let you hear to wireless sound, and that could be where Bluetooth 6.0 comes in, a new version that looks to be on the cards for future devices.
The new version improves the current Bluetooth standard for devices launched back in 2016, helping to ensure wireless devices are talking specifically to each other and extending beyond sound.
Specifically, a feature included in Bluetooth 6.0 called “Channel Sounding” will effectively grant the technology something more like Apple’s FindMy in the AirTag, or the equivalents from Samsung and the like. In short, the technology will give Bluetooth 6.0 the ability to find supported devices in much the same way, pinpointing locations with distance awareness, and could extend beyond simply finding things to opening doors, as well.
With Apple set to open up its Apple Pay technology and allow iPhones to be used as hotel key cards and event tickets in the coming months, it could mean all devices will be able to tap into future door locks with ease, not to mention make it easier for every phone to find personal tracking devices.
However, these updates will take time, and much like how we’ve waited almost the entire year for an Android phone with Qi2 to appear following last year’s Qi2 release, it could be a little longer until Bluetooth 6.0 officially appears in a phone. We’ll let you know when that happens, though, so stay tuned.
