Bluetooth Versions and Chips Comparisons Update in 2023

Bluetooth is a technology used for wireless data and short-range communications. It establishes a connection among fixed and mobile devices to exchange data without cables. It has changed and developed over the years, and here we come to sort out the characteristics of the different versions of Bluetooth.

All Versions of the Bluetooth

Bluetooth 1.0: Early Exploration (1999)

The early Bluetooth1.0 includes A and B, and there are many problems. For example, their products aren't interoperable with each other. At the same time, during the process of handshaking between two devices, the address of the Bluetooth hardware (BD_ADDR) will be sent out, causing the risk of data leakage. Therefore, version 1.0 was not immediately widely used, and related Bluetooth devices were also very expensive.

Bluetooth 1.1 (2001)

Bluetooth 1.1 adopts the IEEE 802.15.1 standard, which defines the physical layer (PHY) and media access control (MAC) specifications for wireless connections between devices, with a transmission rate of 0.7Mbps. However, it is susceptible to interference from products of the same frequency, which affects the quality of communication.

Bluetooth 1.2 (2003)

Bluetooth 1.2 addresses the security issues exposed by V1.0, improving the anonymous method, and adds the function of shielding the hardware address of the device (BD_ADDR) to protect users from identity sniffing attacks and tracking, and is backward compatible with V1.1. In addition, four new features introduced:

Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (2004)

Bluetooth 2.0 is an improved version of V1.2. The new EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) technology improved the ability of multi-tasking and simultaneous operation of multiple Bluetooth devices, allowing the transmission rate of Bluetooth devices to reach 3Mbps.

V2.0 supports duplex mode: For example, you can perform voice communication while transmitting documents/high-quality pictures. At the same time, EDR reduces power consumption by reducing work liability cycles, in addition, V2.0 can connect more devices due to increased bandwidth.

Bluetooth 2.1 (2007)

Bluetooth 2.1 adds the Sniff Subrating function, which extends the time interval for sending signals for mutual confirmation between devices from 0.1 seconds in the old version to about 0.5 seconds, thereby greatly reduces the workload of the Bluetooth chip. In addition, the new SSP (simple and secure pairing) function improves the pairing experience of Bluetooth devices, while improves the using experience. Further more, V2.1 supports NFC near-field communication, as long as two Bluetooth devices with built-in NFC chips are close to each other, the pairing password will be transmitted without manual entry required.

Bluetooth 3.0 + HS (2009)

Bluetooth 3.0 adds an optional technology, which enables Bluetooth to call 802.11 WiFi for high-speed data transmission. Such rate is as high as 24Mbps, which is 8 times that of V2.0. So V3.0 realized video recorder to HDTV, PC to PMP, UMPC data transfer to and from the printer easily.

The core of Bluetooth 3.0 is AMP (Generic Alternate MAC/PHY), a new alternate radio frequency technology that allows the protocol stack to dynamically select the correct radio frequency for any task. As for power consumption, V3.0 introduced EPC (enhanced power control) technology, supported by 802.11, and the actual idle power consumption is significantly reduced. In addition, the new specification also adds UCD one-way broadcast connectionless data technology, which improves the corresponding capabilities of Bluetooth devices.

Bluetooth 4.0 + BLE (2010)

Bluetooth 4.0 is the first comprehensive protocol specification, integrating three specifications together. The most important change is the BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) function, which proposes three modes: low-power Bluetooth, classic Bluetooth and high-speed Bluetooth:

High-speed Bluetooth focuses on data exchange and transmission.

Classic Bluetooth focuses on information communication and device connection.

Low-power Bluetooth focuses on connecting devices that doesn’t require too much bandwidth, and its power consumption is 90% lower than the older version.

BLE is based on Wibree technology developed by NOKIA. It is originally an extremely low-power mobile wireless communication technology for mobile devices. After being accepted and standardized by SIG, it is renamed BLE. These three protocol specifications can also be combined and matched with each other to achieve a wider application mode.

V4.0 chips are divided into Single mode and Dual mode. Single mode chips can only transmitted to and from V4.0 and are not backward compatible with version 3.0/2.1/2.0, and they are used in sensor devices that use button batteries, such as heart rate detectors and thermometers with high power consumption requirements. While Dual mode chips can be backward compatible with version 3.0/2.1/2.0, and they are used in traditional Bluetooth devices while taking into account low power consumption requirements.

In addition, V4.0 also increases the Bluetooth transmission distance to more than 100 meters (under low-power mode). With faster response speed, the connection can be set up and start transmitting data in as little as 3s. In addition, uses AES-128 CCM encryption algorithm for packet encryption and authentication.

Bluetooth 4.1 (2013)

1) There is little change in transmission speed and range, but there have obvious improvements in software. The purpose of this update is to make Bluetooth Smart technology finally become the core driving force for the development of the Internet of Things (IoT).

2) Supports seamless cooperation with LTE. When Bluetooth and LTE radio signals transmit data at the same time, it can automatically coordinate the transmission information of the two to ensure coordinated transmission and reduce mutual interference.

3) Allows developers and manufacturers to customize the reconnection interval of V4.1 devices, which provided greater flexibility and control.

4) Supports cloud synchronization. V4.1 adds a dedicated IPv6 channel, and the related devices only needed to be connected to devices that can be connected to the Internet (such as mobile phones), and then they can synchronize with cloud data through IPv6 to meet the application requirements of the IoT.

5) Supports role exchange between the extension device and the central device. Headphones, watches, keyboards and mice that support V4.1 standard could realize autonomous data transmission and reception without using data hubs such as PCs, tablets, and mobile phones. For example, smart watches and pedometers could bypass smartphones and directly enable conversations.

Bluetooth 4.2 (2014)

1) The transmission speed is faster, 2.5 times higher than the previous versions. Because the capacity of Bluetooth Smart data packets increases, the amount of data it can accommodate is about 10 times that of the previous generation.

2) Improves transmission rate and privacy protection. Bluetooth signals must obtain user permission if they want to connect or track user devices, so this greatly improve security.

3) Supports 6LoWPAN, which is a low-speed wireless personal area network standard based on IPv6. V4.2 devices could connect directly to the Internet via IPv6 and 6LoWPAN. This technology allows multiple Bluetooth devices to access the Internet or LAN through one terminal. In this way, most smart home products can abandon the relatively complicated WiFi connection and use Bluetooth transmission instead, making the interconnection between personal sensors and homes more convenient and faster.

Bluetooth 5.0: Opening the Door to the Internet of Things Era (2016)

1) It has faster and farther transmission capability in low power consumption mode, the transmission rate was twice that of Bluetooth 4.2 (up to 2Mbps), the effective transmission distance was four times that of V4.2 (theoretically up to 300 meters), and the data packet capacity was eight times that of V4.2.

2) Supports indoor positioning and navigation function, and combines with WiFi could achieve indoor positioning with an accuracy of less than 1 meter.

3) Carries out underlying optimization for IoT to serve smart homes with lower power consumption and higher performance.

Bluetooth 5.1 (2019)

Adds the functions of directional positioning and angle measurement, which can realize more accurate location services.

Bluetooth 5.2 (2020)

Adds the functions of multiple audio streams and low-complexity communication coding (LC3), which can achieve better sound quality and lower power consumption.

Bluetooth 5.3 (2021)

Improves the periodic broadcast, connection update, channel classification and other functions of Bluetooth low energy consumption, communication efficiency, wireless coexistence, and reduces power consumption. In addition, Generic Alternate MAC/PHY (AMP) is removed, and 24Mb/s large data transmission is no longer supported.

Bluetooth 5.4 (2023)

Adds periodic broadcast with response, EIR with encryption, broadcast data encryption, and Host supports Advertising Coding selection, etc.

Mesh networking is an independently developed technology that can use Bluetooth devices as signal relay stations to cover data to a very large physical area. It is compatible with Bluetooth 4 and Bluetooth 5 series protocols.

Traditional Bluetooth connections are achieved through the pairing of one device to another, establishing a one-to-one or one-to-many micro-network relationship. However, the Mesh network enables devices to implement a many-to-many relationship, so each device node can send and receive information. As long as a device is connected to the gateway, the info can be relayed between nodes, allowing the message to be transmitted to a location farther than the normal transmission distance of radio waves. In this way, Mesh networks can be distributed in manufacturing plants, office buildings, shopping malls, business parks, and wider scenarios, providing a more stable control solution for lighting equipment, industrial automation equipment, security cameras, smoke detectors, and environmental sensors.

Applications

Mobile phones, audio, cars, and smart homes are important tracks for Bluetooth technology.

Since 1998, the Bluetooth protocol has been updated many times, from audio transmission, image and text transmission, video transmission, to IoT data transmission focusing on low energy. On the one hand, backward compatibility is maintained, and on the other hand, Bluetooth is also being used in more and more IoT devices.

As the BLE continues to improve in power consumption and transmission efficiency, the classic versions have not been updated much since 3.0. It is foreseeable that the main force of Bluetooth in the future will focus on the IoT, not just limited to mobile devices.

Bluetooth Chips Comparison

Table 1: Parameters Comparison

Technical Standard	Bluetooth Classic	Bluetooth Low Energy
Radio Frequency	2.4GHz	2.4GHz
Transmission Frequency	Base rate: 1Mbps EDR(4DQPSK): 2Mbps EDR(8DQPSK): 3Mbps	BLE4.2: 1Mbps BLE5.0:2Mbps BLE5 Long Range(S=2): 500Mbps BLE5 Long Range(S=8): 125Mbps
Distance	10~100m	300m
Time Delay	100ms	<6ms
Minimum Total Time to Send Data	100ms	3ms
Power Consumption	1W	0.01~0.5W
Maximum Operating Current	<30mA	<15mA
Speech Ability	Yes	No
Network Topology	One-to-one	One-to-one, One-to-many (broadcast),  Many-to-many (Mesh networking)
Robustness	Adaptive fast frequency (AFH)，FEC, fast ASK	Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH)
Bluetooth Standard	BT V1.0/2.0/3.0	BT V4.0/5.0

Table 2: Applications Comparison

Type	Field	Application	Communication Mode
BR/EDR/AMP	Audio	Wireless Headphones Wireless speakers Car speakers	One-to-one
Low energy (LE)	Data transmission	Sports & Fitness Equipment Medical and Health Equipment PC peripherals	One-to-one
	Positioning service	Beacon service Indoor navigation Asset tracking
	Device network	Automated systems	Many-to-many

Table 3：Bluetooth Chip Examples Overview

Features Types	CC2541	CC2640	BLUENRG	BLUENRG-MG
Transmission Speed	250Kbps, 500Kbps, 1Mbps, 2Mbps	It can reach 15kbytes/s through GATT notifications. If tested regularly, it will be around 6~8kbytes/s.	1Mbps	1Mbps
Actual occupation	*	100kb-120kb	*	*
Receiver sensitivity	-94dbm at 1Mbps	-97dbm	-88dbm	-88dbm
RX power consumption	17.9mA	5.9mA	14.3mA	7.3mA
TX power consumption	18.2mA	(0dbm):6.1mA (5dbm):9.1mA	(0dbm):8.2mA (5dbm):11mA	(0dbm):8.2mA (5dbm):11mA
Sleep power consumption	Power mode 1 (4us wake-up): 270uA Power mode 2 (sleep timer on): 1uA Power mode 3 (external interrupt): 0.5uA	Standby current: 1uA Shutdown current: 100nA	32KHz X0 ON (slave):1.7uA 32KHz X0 ON (master):2.4uA	32KHz X0 ON (slave):1.7uA 32KHz X0 ON (master):2.4uA
Core	8051 Microcontroller	ARM Cortex-M3 Bit)	ARM Cortex-M0	ARM Cortex-M0
FLASH	128KB or 256KB	128KB	64KB	64KB
SRAM	8KB	8KB	12KB	12KB (RAM1 and RAM2 are 6KB each)
Protocol	Version 4.0	Version 4.1	Version 4.0	Version 4.1
Networking	*	Master-slave switching program demo Maximum number of connections: 8	*	*
Application	Serial port transparent transmission, wearable devices, BLE adapter on PC	Wearable devices, medical devices, industrial devices	Wearable devices, network processors	Wearable devices, medical devices, mobile phones and computer slaves, home or industrial automation
Transmit power	Up to 0dbm, programmable	Up to 5dbm, programmable	Up to 8dbm, programmable	Up to 8dbm, programmable
Packaging	VQFN	RGZ(QFN48) RHB(QFN32) RSM(QFN32)	QFN32 (5*5) WLCSP34	QFN32(5*5) WLCSP34
Peripheral (PWM, ADC)	1) 5-channel direct memory access 2) All digital peripheral pins can be connected to any GPIO 3) 4 general timer modules (8x16 bit or 4x32 bit, both using PWM) 4) Time comparator, ultra-low power analog comparator 5) BC current source available 6) UART 7) 2xSSI (SPI, uW, TI) 8) 12C 9)12S 10) Real-time clock (RTC) 11) AES-128 safe mode block 12) True Random Generator (TRNG) 13) 10, 15 or 31 GPIOs, depending on package options 14) 8 capacitive sensing buttons 15) Integrated temperature sensor	1) All digital peripheral pins can be connected to any GPIO 2) 4 general timer modules (8x16 bit or 4x32 bit, both using PWM) 3) 12 ADCs, 200kSPS, 8-channel analog multiplexer 4) Time comparator, ultra-low power analog comparator 5) Programmable current source 6) UART 7) 2xSSI (SPI, uW, TI) 8) 12C 9)12S 10) Real-time clock (RTC) 11) AES-128 safe mode block 12) True Random Generator (TRNG) 13) 10, 15 or 31 GPIOs, depending on package options 14) 8 capacitive sensing buttons 15) Integrated temperature sensor	1) Low-power ADC 2) Input voltage monitoring and temperature sensor 3) SPI 4) DC-DC converter 5) Linear calibrator	1) SPI 2) DC-DC converter 3) Linear calibrator
External crystal oscillator	32MHz, 32.786K	24MHz, 32KHz	16/32MHz, 32KHz	16/32MHz, 32KHz
Peripheral devices	26	27	26	26
Over-the-air upgrade	Support	Support	Support	Support