Based on materials from Android central
Any smart device you recently purchased may support Bluetooth 5, the latest version of the standard Bluetooth. There is also a good chance that the purchase, on the contrary, will be deprived of support Bluetooth 5, since not all companies have taken care of updating to the latest version.
The good news is that even despite a certain difficulty in explaining the technology Bluetooth in general, the answers to the question of what has changed and what has been improved can be formulated quite simply. Let's see what Bluetooth 5 is and what it gives the user.
BLE headset technology
BLE technology (Bluetooth Low-Energy) was introduced along with the Bluetooth 4 standard, and its purpose is intuitive from the name – to provide devices with the ability to communicate with each other with less energy. This is important if the device is running on battery power, such as a smartphone or wireless headphones.
Before the advent of Bluetooth 5, BLE technology was only used in wearable devices, beacons and small devices related to the Internet of Things. This meant that Bluetooth – headsets were forced to be content with the usual, more energy-consuming Bluetooth over the radio channel. For your smartphone, the difference will not be particularly noticeable, but it becomes critical when it comes to a device with a small battery, for example, a pair Bluetooth – headphones. The more time they spend on charging, the less time they will stay in your ears.
If Bluetooth 5 is present, all audio devices are connected using BLE. And this can have a very strong impact on the operating time, however, this is not always the case. A good example is AirPods from Apple. When connected to iPhone, the Apple W1 chip can 'mediate' the Bluetooth connection by measuring the connection intensity and making some minor adjustments. And on Android – a smartphone everything is limited to a standard Bluetooth – connection. This is why AirPods last longer on a single charge when used with iPhone.
Bluetooth Dual Audi o
Bluetooth Dual Audi o is the ability to connect two audio devices, such as headphones, to one source, such as a smartphone.
This technology is not entirely new – thanks to Qualcomm, this option was available for Bluetooth back on the Galaxy S8. But in the case of Bluetooth 5, this is already part of the standard and does not require a special license from the chipset manufacturer. Note that this applies to all audio devices, not just headphones. You can connect, for example, two speakers or even a pair of headphones and a speaker.
Faster, stronger and better
The biggest benefits Bluetooth 5 are the increased data rates and range. Very much increased. The maximum that Bluetooth 5 provides is four times the range, eight times the throughput and double the speed. However, all this cannot be obtained at the same time.
Devices have to 'choose' between higher data rates or longer range. The same pair of headphones, primarily designed for music playback, would rather take advantage of the double bandwidth, while a token with a Bluetooth tracker would, on the contrary, be more useful due to the longer range.
Bluetooth 5 can transfer data at 2 Mbps, while Bluetooth 4.2 can transfer data at 1 Mbps. Bluetooth 5 can connect to the device up to 240m, while Bluetooth 4.2 is limited to 60m.
However, do not forget that this is the maximum achievable in line of sight, and any obstacle in the signal path can affect it. However, there are very noticeable improvements. And when combined with BLE technology, they mean IoT devices can take advantage of a better signal while using less power.
Bluetooth 5.1
All that was said above is the basic specifications for all protocol versions Bluetooth of the 5th version, but there is already an option Bluetooth 5.1. This is the most recent version Bluetooth that appeared in January 2019. It has improved connection speed and reliability, as well as the ability Bluetooth to pinpoint the exact location of a device by analyzing the direction to connected devices.
Also in Bluetooth 5.1 the ability was added for Bluetooth – devices to signal that they are available for connection. This feature is called 'Randomized Advertising Channel Indexing' and it makes it much easier than before to determine which Bluetooth nearby devices you can connect to. This can be useful if you are in a location where there are many other people's devices, such as a cafe or airport.
Do you need Bluetooth 5?
Depends on the circumstances. The benefits of Bluetooth 5 can only be enjoyed when both devices have it. If your smartphone supports Bluetooth 5, but your headphones or car does not, then there will be no difference from what it was before. And this situation is quite likely, because automakers are famous for their stubbornness in their reluctance to update Bluetooth.
There is good news – Bluetooth 5 is 100% backward compatible with Bluetooth 4. This means that if the devices have different versions Bluetooth, they will be able to connect normally and work. You just won't be able to enjoy the benefits Bluetooth 5. So when buying new devices, check the availability of Bluetooth 5 in advance if it matters to you. Unfortunately, in the case of the Internet of Things and smart home appliances, this can be difficult.
In any case, Bluetooth 5 is not a technology, the lack of which is worth some trouble. Moreover, by the time Bluetooth 5 is in each iron, a new version will appear – and everything will start over.