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Evolution of Bluetooth

Over the years, technology has made phenomenal advances, making life easier for everyone in carrying out routine tasks. The universality of music has always been retained, where people have always reveled in it.

To enjoy a more device-independent musical experience is a dream of many that have been achieved with the introduction of Bluetooth, that allows you to connect your device to a source of audio deliverance, for you to enjoy music anywhere. There are a lot of great wireless headphones and great wireless headphones for tv available in the market that runs on the Bluetooth technology.

We have all come across people who have Bluetooth devices, or we ourselves have a few such devices, Bluetooth headphones one of the most popular ones. It is not a falsity to state that Bluetooth has been an intriguing technology for everyone. This article talks about the chronological development of this technology for the tech – fanatics to delve deeper into the underlying reasons for the luxuries we enjoy.

The History of Bluetooth

Deriving its name from King Harald Bluetooth of Denmark who united Scandinavia, Bluetooth is a successful and efficient technology.

It is a wireless technology that allows the transfer of data between devices. It was developed with an aim to make this transfer of data simpler and more independent, without having to lose any important information while changing devices, or sending it to someone else.

Bluetooth works on the principle of transferring data to packets, which are transferred to 79 channels. Its frequencies oscillate between 2.4 and 2.485 GHz. The speed and convenience that it provides have made it a universal tool employed in many tasks today.

In 1998, an organization called SIG (Special Interest Group) was established, consisting of 5 members – Ericsson, IBM, Nokia, Toshiba, and Intel. As of today, there are 30000 members who are a part of the Bluetooth management.

Bluetooth 2004 (Version 2.0)

Despite Bluetooth’s introduction to the market in 2000, it was placed on an elevated platform only in 2004. The 2.0 version of Bluetooth was an improvisation from its original version. It reduced the employment of electricity in its usage and allowed data transfer at the rate of 3 Mbit/s. This improvisation was acted upon when the EDR was introduced.

This increased convenience and better features of the version appealed to the general crowd and consequently gained popularity.

Bluetooth 2007 (Version 2.1)

In this version, 3 main goals were achieved-

Secure Simple Pairing

The Bluetooth version of 2007 addressed pre-existing problems of data fiddling by cyberbullies who intervene in people’s privacy. This version created the features of encryption for both sides engaging in data exchange.

Sniff Sub-rating

The sniff sub-rating feature was introduced in 2007 with an aim to increase the battery life of Bluetooth gadgets up to 500 percent. Gadgets that are in the sleep mode longer than their usage period are installed with this feature. It has made using these gadgets easier.

Extended inquiry response

The extended inquiry response aims to show a filtered list of devices for you to choose from while transferring data using Bluetooth. It prevents the pairing of devices with unwanted devices. It has made accuracy more efficient.

Bluetooth 2009 (Version 3.0 + HS)

The main goal achieved in this version was that of boosting the speed of data transfer. Large files often take a long time to transfer with the present versions of Bluetooth. The previous versions had a much slower speed of transfer, making the time taken to transfer large files unimaginably long. The 2009 Bluetooth version used the 802.11 radio Wi-Fi for achieving its purpose. This also helped to save power from being unnecessarily drained because of the high sleeping time of the radio Wi-Fi.

It was in this version that the unicast connectionless data was introduced, allowing for a more rapid response rate of the technology. Overall, the 2009 version improvised the Bluetooth technology to a great extent.

Bluetooth 2010 (Version 4.0)

This smart version of Bluetooth allowed for data transfer over a greater range with improved connectivity. The transfer of data was made more convenient and faster while retaining power. Transfer spread to smart devices and other devices like heart rate monitoring machines.

Other than this, this version of Bluetooth also activated the feature of saving your profile on Bluetooth and providing a Security Manager program to protect your activity online while using the technology. It introduced two chips in the market. The dual-mode allows for an entire low power Bluetooth version, while the single-mode adds the BLE feature to the original Bluetooth controller.

Bluetooth 2013 (Version 4.1)

The 2013 version of Bluetooth introduced significant advances in the previous versions. It has extended the ability to connect devices using Bluetooth when they are not in each other’s vicinity.

The dynamics of functioning between LTE and Bluetooth have always affected connections. This has led to the drainage of battery and inefficient functioning of the device overall. The 2013 version of Bluetooth eradicated this problem with the LTE, by upgrading it to an LTE compatible version. Along with compatibility, it also regulates battery by combining the functioning of both technologies.

Another important contribution made by this version is that of liberating Bluetooth from inactive times, and opening it up for customization. The channels can choose inactive times for technology according to their preferences. This makes using it more convenient and suitable from person to person.

The linking of devices has always been between the main source and the peripheral device. With this version, any 2 devices sharing the same hub can also exchange data through Bluetooth. It is an advanced technological improvisation that has made life easier for Bluetooth users.

Bluetooth 2014 (Version 4.2)

This version of Bluetooth added to the security, speed, and range of data transfer. It protected its devices to prevent unwanted stalking and device tracking online. The speed was boosted by 2.5 times the last version which added convenience and accessibility to people. In removing any range hindrance in data transfer, the 2.4 version of Bluetooth allowed transfer using the internet. This involvement of the internet brought significant advancement in the Bluetooth version 4.2.

Bluetooth 2016 (Version 5)

The Bluetooth version of 2016 is the inculcation of features from all the previous versions. The problems of speed, range, among several others have been solved in this version. The connection between wireless devices has made the transfer of data much easier.

With the improvisation of long-range transfer, the problem of always being in each other’s vicinity can be solved easily. The distance between two devices can be 400 ft and the Bluetooth will still work between the two.

Along with the range problems, problems of the increased response of devices have also been worked on. The security provided by the version is much more advanced as compared to any of the previous versions.

All in all, Version 5 which is the latest one has brought about much convenience, making mundane, tedious tasks easier.

Conclusion

Bluetooth has connected many people and devices, making life easier overall. In today’s world, wireless technology is required to cope up with the pacing surroundings. In creating a virtual space acting as a messenger, which is reliable, rapid and efficient, the theories that were once on paper have been brought to life. This article has brought focus on the evolution of technology without which survival in the digital world of today is impossible.

Nirbhay Singh

Nirbhay Singh is the Founder & Editor-in-Chief of gadgetsdeck.com. He is a Full Stack Engineer with very deep understanding of modern day technology. His definitive objective here is to help people in purchasing the best item for their money. If it's not worth the price, Nirbhay wouldn't recommend it.

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