How does Bluetooth work?

So, what is Bluetooth used for? If you didn’t already know, it uses radio waves to send data and pair up our gadgets. Whether that’s linking your phone with some wireless headphones or connecting to a portable speaker. But what’s going on under the hood to make all that happen? Let’s have a look…

The basics of Bluetooth

First things first – how does Bluetooth work? It uses a special Bluetooth frequency band (2.4 GHz if we’re getting techy) to connect your wireless tech together. And to make sure it all talks to each other properly without any interference, it splits this frequency into different channels. It’s clever stuff.

Tech fact: Why is it called Bluetooth though? The inventors named it after a 10th century Danish King, Harald ‘Bluetooth’ Gormsson. He was a powerful leader who united lots of tribes under his rule. And the creators thought their new tech did the same – connecting different gadgets using one type of wireless communication.

Oh, and the iconic Bluetooth symbol blends King Harald’s initials into old Nordic runes. That’s pretty cool.

Types of Bluetooth: Low Energy vs classic

There are two main types of Bluetooth:

• Classic – This is the normal version. It’s perfect for connecting devices that need a constant stream of data to work properly, like headphones and speakers.
• Low Energy (LE) – You can probably guess from the name that this one’s more energy efficient. It’s used in tech like fitness trackers or smart home gadgets that only transmit small bursts of data.

Setting up Bluetooth connections

Pairing devices is pretty straightforward. Here’s how to connect Bluetooth gadgets together:

1. Switch on Bluetooth on both devices.
2. Head to Bluetooth in your settings.
3. Make sure the tech you want to connect to is discoverable. If it is, it’ll show up in a list on your phone, tablet, or laptop etc.
4. Tap on it to connect.
5. You should now have a solid Bluetooth connection.
6. The gadgets will remember each other too. Making it quick and faff-free to connect next time round.

Bluetooth range

How far does Bluetooth reach then? That all depends on the class of the device:

• Class 1 – (Like a Bluetooth adapter/dongle) can have a range of up to about 100 metres.
• Class 2 – (More common in consumer tech) usually has a range around 10 metres.
• Class 3 – (Like your in-ear headphones) have a range of roughly 1 metre.

The future of Bluetooth tech

Like any area of tech, Bluetooth just gets better and better. Bluetooth 5.0 made it even quicker and bumped up the max range. And the experts reckon these improvements will keep on coming. They’re predicting that the next major version should bring lightning-fast data transfers and beefier security features. That all sounds good to us.

FAQs

Does Bluetooth work without Wi-Fi?

Yes – you don’t need a Wi-Fi connection to use Bluetooth. When you’re out and about, you can fire it up whenever you want. Nice.

Does Bluetooth use data?

No, you don’t need to worry about Bluetooth snaffling your data. But if you’re streaming music or your favourite show on any Bluetooth connected tech – and aren’t hooked up to a Wi-Fi network – then they’ll probably be using up some data.

What is the latest Bluetooth version?

We’re now up to Bluetooth 5.3. And this update has been built into some of the latest gadgets – like the iPhone 15 and AirPods Pro 2.

But what’s actually new with it? Well, it sounds like a lot of jargon on the surface. But here are a few of the headline features made simple:

• Periodic Advertising Enhancement – This is just a fancy way of saying that Bluetooth is now more efficient. So, it’ll save some energy, and won’t drain your battery as quickly.
• Channel Classification Enhancement – In theory, your wireless connection should be a lot more secure, and shouldn’t suffer from any interference from other gadgets.
• Connection Sub Rating – You’ll now be able to switch between the different functions on your devices even faster. Meaning it should be pretty snappy when you swap from a call to a playlist on your wireless headphones.

What are the disadvantages of Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is super versatile, but there are a couple of drawbacks. It’s got a fairly short range, especially when you compare it to other wireless tech. And if there’s a lot of people trying to use it in one place (like at a busy station on your morning commute), you could get signals interfering with yours.

Some of your old gadgets might not support the latest Bluetooth updates either. Which means you might not be able to connect some Bluetooth devices together if they’re running different versions.

What is the difference between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth?

Without Wi-Fi, you wouldn’t be able to get on the internet, or quickly transfer data over long distances.

But what does Bluetooth do? Bluetooth is all about short-range, low power communication between your gadgets. Helping you to connect your phone to your headphones, or easily share files.

Source: CURRYS