Versions
| Version | Year | Max data rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0/1.1 | 1999 | 0.7 Mbit/s | First release; poor reliability. |
| 1.2 | 2003 | 1 Mbit/s | Adaptive frequency hopping. |
| 2.0+EDR | 2004 | 3 Mbit/s | EDR = Enhanced Data Rate. |
| 2.1+EDR | 2007 | 3 Mbit/s | Secure Simple Pairing. |
| 3.0+HS | 2009 | 24 Mbit/s | Over 802.11 (rarely used). |
| 4.0 | 2010 | 1 Mbit/s (LE) | Introduced BLE. |
| 4.1 | 2013 | 1 Mbit/s | Coexistence with LTE. |
| 4.2 | 2014 | 1 Mbit/s | LE Secure Connections; IPv6. |
| 5.0 | 2016 | 2 Mbit/s (LE) | 4× range, 2× speed in LE. |
| 5.1 | 2019 | 2 Mbit/s | Direction finding (AoA/AoD). |
| 5.2 | 2019 | 2 Mbit/s | LE Audio (LC3), Isochronous Channels. |
| 5.3 | 2021 | 2 Mbit/s | Encryption refresh; channel classification. |
| 5.4 | 2023 | 2 Mbit/s | Periodic Advertising with Responses. |
Classic vs LE
| Classic | LE | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Audio (A2DP), file transfer | Sensors, beacons, wearables |
| Power | Higher | Ultra-low |
| Data rate | Up to 3 Mbit/s | 125 kbps – 2 Mbit/s |
| Range | ~10 m | Up to ~100 m (BT 5) |
| Pairing | Often PIN | Numeric comparison, passkey |
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