Bluetooth 4.2 Is Announced, Called the Foundation of Internet of Things

The latest version of Bluetooth, version 4.2 has been announced by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. The new version of connectivity brings greater security, better speeds and IP connectivity.

The new version enhances security by making it harder to track people. People using Apple iBeacon, for instance, can’t be tracked, unless permission has been granted.

The speed is also notably faster; Bluetooth 4.2 increases speed by 2.5 times over the previous releases, thanks to the increase in size of data packets which can store almost ten times as much data as before.

Lastly, you have the ability to connect to the internet. IP connectivity will have hardware constraints so won’t be available to every phone or device out there. Gadgets that have it, though, will have the ability to be connected and altered through the internet directly, if you don’t have the access.

Given that there is a lot of work is going on towards smart homes and appliances, this can really play a decisive role in the popularization of the technology of the future.

Not all devices will be supported

While a software update can activate Bluetooth 4.1, a trimmed-down version of the connectivity, to use all features, your smartphone would require a special Bluetooth adapter, meaning a hardware update.

So while the privacy features can be triggered via the OTA update, to make use of the tremendous speed which this version brings, you’ll have to buy a new phone.