we will explain what’s new in Bluetooth 5.3 and its differences from previous versions, so you can understand to what extent the new Bluetooth 5.3 innovates and improves with respect to previous versions. We will start with the list of Bluetooth versions and what’s new in each one, and then we’ll continue with the differences and what’s new in version 5.3.
Here, you must remember two things. The first thing is that when you connect two devices via Bluetooth, the improvements and technologies of the device with a lower version are used. Therefore, by connecting a Bluetooth 5.3 mobile to a Bluetooth 5.2 speaker, you only have the improvements of 5.2. Also, each new version incorporates the improvements of the previous onesso you won’t have to choose between one and the other, just look for the most modern version on your future devices.
Evolution of Bluetooth version by version
We are going to start with a list in which we are going to teach you all the versions that the Bluetooth protocol has had and its main novelties. In this way, you will not only be able to see the different versions and their release dates, but you will also be able to assess the importance of the novelties of each version having the context of how much each of them has innovated.
Bluetooth is still the reference wireless communication protocol between devices, which allows you to connect computers, smartphones, tablets, and various types of connected devices such as watches, keyboards, mice, speakers. all of it without the need to use cables to connect themand using a secure radio frequency in the 2.4 GHz ISM band.
- Bluetooth 1.0: It was the first version released in 1999, and precisely because it was the first step for technology, it had many connectivity and security problems. It is currently in disuse.
- Bluetooth 1.1: It was the first update of Bluetooth 1.0, and it arrived in 2002. It is already a mature and commercial version with a transmission rate of around 721 kbps.
- Bluetooth 1.2: The second update of Bluetooth 1.0, which arrived in 2003 and reduced the interference that still existed in version 1.1 to finish fine-tuning the technology.
- Bluetooth 2.0: The second major version of Bluetooth arrived in 2004, although compatible with 1.2. Its main feature was the introduction of the Enhanced Data Rate(EDR or enhanced data rate), which allowed it to offer a transmission rate of just over 2 Mb/s.
- Bluetooth 2.1: The next version released in 2007, which kept the same transmission rate as its predecessor. However, it introduced a feature that changed Bluetooth forever, the ability for one terminal to add another, and connect automatically without the need for a PIN or anything like that.
- Bluetooth 3.0. This version arrived in 2009, and brought with it the term or surname HS for High Speed. It was a great improvement in the transmission rate, which could reach 24 Mbps.
- Bluetooth 4.0: This is possibly one of the most important versions of the standard, since with it the excessive battery consumption of technology using Bluetooth Low Energy began to be combated. The version arrived in 2010, maintained the transfer rate of 24 Mb/s and thanks to its low consumption it began to be used in smaller and less powerful devices.
- Bluetooth 4.1: It arrived in 2013, and was characterized by targeting above all the world of IoT (Internet of things) by allowing the connection between small devices without intermediaries.
- Bluetooth 4.2: This next update came in 2014, and implemented the IPv6 protocol to allow direct connection over the Internet.
- Bluetooth 5.0: In mid-2016 the great revolution arrived, a new step forward that doubled the transfer rate, quadrupled the range, continued with low consumption thought of the IoT and allowed a greater amount of data in each transferred message. As for numbers, the transfer rate was up to 50 Mb/s, and the range was up to 240 meters.
- Bluetooth 5.1: The new version arrived in 2019 revolved around location, allowing devices to know the location of other devices they are connected to within centimeters. You will also be able to identify the direction a signal you are looking for is coming from.
- Bluetooth 5.2also know as Bluetooth LE Audio: It is a standard published in early 2020, and that improves sound quality and energy efficiency in all devices that are connected for audio functions. It uses a new codec, the Low Complexity Communication Codec (LC3), which can more efficiently compress and decompress the data being transmitted, and allows audio to be transferred to multiple devices at once.
- Bluetooth 5.3: announced in july 2021, although it has not started to be available until May 2022. This version offers lower consumption when used, connections with less interference, better connection security and better quality at all times, depending on the bandwidth required. Small details to continue polishing it.
Bluetooth 5.3 vs. its predecessors
We could say that Bluetooth 5.0 is the basis of the new family of versions of this protocol. This is the latest major update that revolutionized Bluetooth 4, doubling the speed of file transfers and quadrupling the range, which is the distance at which they can transfer data between each other. Since then, the rest of the versions have simply been perfecting little things.
El Bluetooth 5.1 it is focused on locating devices, allowing them to know the location of the other devices it is connected to, and identify the direction its signal is coming from. Meanwhile, **Bluetooth 5.2 is focused on soundimproving sound quality and energy efficiency in all devices that connect for audio functions.
Bluetooth 5.3 is also another small step for this family of Bluetooth 5 updates, in this case focused on further improve energy efficiency, and making the connections have less interference. In addition, it intends offer a higher security standard and a better quality at each moment, depending on the necessary bandwidth.
To improve performance by reducing power consumption, this version has added a filter for updates to the periodic advertising process. This makes shipments Redundant data is removedand therefore save the small peak of energy consumption involved in delivering them
In addition to this, the peripherals can give their list of preferred channels so that the device that connects to them takes them into account and uses them above the others. A) Yes, performance is improved and connection interference will be reducedsince the channels are not decided by a single device such as the mobile, but it can be said that they reach an agreement to use the lanes that work best for both.
For security, control over the size of the encryption key is increased. This means that now the driver can set a minimum size for the key, and if you are going to connect to a device that is not very secure due to using an encryption key that is too short, then the connection will not be established to protect you. In this way, consumption is also reduced, since the device only “looks” at those that meet the requirements when it comes to proposing to connect to them.
Finally, Bluetooth 5.3 allows your devices andsand modes with higher bandwidth if necessary, and with minimal delay. This means that if we are using Bluetooth in a way that suddenly requires more bandwidth, such as going from listening to music to making a call, this transition will be more effective.
There is also a function Intelligent Dual Bluetooth that allows establishing simultaneous connections, both in its normal state and in BLE. This is quite an important novelty, because it will allow, for example, connect two mobiles to a single speaker via Bluetoothas long as all three devices are running version 5.3.
Therefore, we can say that this version focuses on polishing consumption and privacy, and all this internally, so you won’t need to make configuration changes or anything. However, it also includes the new Smart Dual Bluetooth featurewhich can offer you an interesting new functionality.
Here, what you should know is that each new standard also offers the improvements of the previous versions. This means that when buying a device you will not have to choose between the sound of 5.2 or the improvements of 5.3, simply try to make your Bluetooth version the highest, since it will include all the new features that the versions have been implementing. previous.
