Latest News Phone: Final version of Bluetooth 5 is released to tech firms by the Bluetooth SIG

Back during the summer (June to be precise), we told you that Bluetooth 5 would feature faster speeds, wider range of service and enhanced support for Beacons. Today, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) released the specifications for Bluetooth 5. The wireless range increases by 400%, and wireless speed doubles compared to Bluetooth 4. The updated standards are more stable, and offer more power and security.

The Bluetooth SIG says that better Bluetooth powered products are coming in the wearables, industrial, home automation and enterprise markets. Products __with Bluetooth 5 functionality are expected to launch sometime in the next two to six months. According to the Bluetooth SIG, Bluetooth 5 will also improve how data is collected for beacons. These are the small devices that can send out targeted information to consumers viewing their smartphones or tablets as they walk through a store. For example, someone standing by the Samsung televisions inside a department store could be targeted using the beacons, __with special deals for Samsung televisions. That is how focused the beacons can be. Currently, Bluetooth 4 LE is used with the beacons. with the new Bluetooth 5, shoppers will be more easily targeted by the beacons.

"With up to 4x the range, 2x the speed and 8x the broadcasting message capacity, the enhancements of Bluetooth 5 focus on increasing functionality for the Internet of Things (IoT). Bluetooth 5 delivers a "connectionless" IoT, advancing beacon and location-based capabilities in home, enterprise and industrial applications. This will create significant advantages for developers and manufacturers, while providing a better user experience for their customers."-Bluetooth SIG

According to the SIG, two out of three consumers prefer that their devices feature Bluetooth technology inside. By 2020, 13.9 million wireless devices will ship according to the Special Interest Group's computations. One out of every three of those devices will include Bluetooth.