Apple

Bluetooth 6.0 Could Help Improve Apple’s Find My Network

Highlights

Bluetooth 6.0 introduces Bluetooth Channel Sounding.
It will feature centimetre-level distance accuracy.
It will also enhance Apple’s Find My Network.

The Bluetooth SIG, Bluetooth Special Interest Group, has announced the specifications for the next generation of the technology – “Bluetooth 6.0.”

While it will add a lot of upgrades to the wireless technology, one particular upgrade will improve Apple’s Find My Network feature used for tracking devices.

A report published in BGR has revealed details of every new enhancement of the upcoming wireless protocol.

Bluetooth 6.0 will have an innovative feature named Bluetooth Channel Sounding that will bring “true distance awareness.”

This feature, as per the BGR article description, will unlock “centimetre-level accuracy over considerable distances.”

This means, in simple words, mean upcoming Bluetooth 6.0 will provide the exact distance between devices.

What makes this beneficial for Apple’s Find My Network feature is an improved distance awareness technology will significantly improve the ability of the feature to locate lost devices.

Bluetooth 6.0 also supports larger data frames and lower latency for audio applications. (Image credit – José Adorno for BGR).

Apple’s Find My network is based on Bluetooth and it currently relies on ultra-wideband technology.

The feature uses the Precision Finding feature for iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirTag users to measure the distance between two devices accurately.

Moreover, it is also reported that the new Bluetooth Channel Sounding will likely add an extra layer of security for authentication.

This will be useful for digital keys.

Bluetooth 6.0 can also transmit larger data frames and enables lower latency for audio applications.

As of now, there are no updates on timelines of when Apple might be adopting the upcoming Bluetooth 6.0.

However, we can assume at least a year before new devices can come out featuring the just announced wireless protocol.

Bluetooth 6.0 – Features Getting Added To the New Standard

Bluetooth 6.0 to feature Decision-Based Advertising Filtering. (Image Credit – 9to5Mac).

According to the BGR report, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group is also adding the following features to the new standard –

Decision-Based Advertising Filtering: The Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Extended Advertising feature transmits on both primary and secondary radio channels.

Monitoring Advertisers: Bluetooth LE controller to filter duplicate advertising packets. When active, the host only receives a single advertising packet from each unique device.

ISOAL Enhancement: The Isochronous Adaptation Layer (ISOAL) makes it possible for larger data frames to be transmitted in smaller link-layer packets and ensures the associated timing information that is needed for the correct processing of the data by receivers can be reconstituted.

LL Extended Feature Set: Devices can exchange information about the link-layer features.

FAQs

Q1. What will be the key features of Bluetooth 6.0?

Answer/ Bluetooth 6.0 introduces several new features and improvements such as Bluetooth Channel Sounding, Decision-Based Advertising Filtering, Improved scanning efficiency and Enhanced Security features.