The body responsible for developing Bluetooth standards has outlined the new features coming with the release of Bluetooth 6.0. Among the most noteworthy will be the ability to accurately measure the distance between two connected devices, paving the way for many practical applications.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) posted an article on its blog about the latest developments coming to this wireless technology. Bluetooth 6.0 will feature some major innovations, starting with Bluetooth "Channel Sounding," capable of accurately measuring the distance between two connected devices, to the nearest centimeter.

The most obvious application is, of course, for locating these devices. Compatible devices can thus be accurately located, and even found if lost. This advance makes Bluetooth a genuine competitor to Ultra WideBand (UWB), another wireless communication technology specialized in locating other devices, found, for example, in Apple's AirTag.

But this breakthrough also promises new uses. For example, car or hotel room digital keys could be programmed to only open a door when within a certain range. Meanwhile, a loudspeaker could automatically stop working at a certain distance. And, on the desktop, mice and keyboards could be configured to work only in proximity to a given computer or computers.

For the rest, Bluetooth 6.0 promises ever-lower latency for better responsiveness, achieved by sending data in smaller packets. This should also ensure more stable audio and video streaming.

However, we'll probably have to wait until 2025, at best, to see the first compatible devices appear. It could therefore take several more years before they are widely adopted by consumers.

 - AFP Relaxnews