Bluetooth

For the Danish king, see Harald Bluetooth.

Bluetooth
Developed byBluetooth Special Interest Group
Introduced7 May 1998 (26 years ago) (1998-05-07)
IndustryPersonal area networks
Compatible hardware
Physical rangeTypically less than 10 m (33 ft), up to 100 m (330 ft).
Bluetooth 5.0: 40–400 m (100–1,000 ft)[1][2]
Websitebluetooth.com
A Bluetooth earbud, an earphone and microphone that communicates with a cellphone using the Bluetooth protocol

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limited to 2.5 milliwatts, giving it a very short range of up to 10 metres (33 ft). It employs UHF radio waves in the ISM bands, from 2.402 GHz to 2.48 GHz.[3] It is mainly used as an alternative to wired connections to exchange files between nearby portable devices and connect cell phones and music players with wireless headphones.

Bluetooth is managed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), which has more than 35,000 member companies in the areas of telecommunication, computing, networking, and consumer electronics. The IEEE standardized Bluetooth as IEEE 802.15.1 but no longer maintains the standard. The Bluetooth SIG oversees the development of the specification, manages the qualification program, and protects the trademarks.[4] A manufacturer must meet Bluetooth SIG standards to market it as a Bluetooth device.[5] A network of patents applies to the technology, which is licensed to individual qualifying devices. As of 2021, 4.7 billion Bluetooth integrated circuit chips are shipped annually.[6] Bluetooth was first demonstrated in space in 2024, an early test envisioned to enhance IoT capabilities.[7]

  1. ^ "Bluetooth Range: 100m, 1 km, or 10 km?". bluair.pl. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference bluetooth1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Muller, Nathan J. (2002). Networking A to Z. McGraw-Hill Professional. pp. 45–47. ISBN 9780071429139. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  4. ^ "About us – Bluetooth Technology Website". Bluetooth.com. Archived from the original on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Brand Enforcement Program". Bluetooth.com. Archived from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  6. ^ Federica Laricchia (31 March 2022). "Global Bluetooth device shipments 2022". Statista. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  7. ^ Paleja, Ameya (3 May 2024). "US achieves 1st-ever space Bluetooth link using satellites". Interesting Engineering. Retrieved 6 May 2024.