Bluetooth SIG Adopts Bi-annual Release Schedule for Bluetooth® Core Specification

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) Board of Directors has approved the release of two versions of the Bluetooth® Core Specification annually, starting in 2025. The first release under this new cadence is targeted for Spring 2025.

 

Over the past decade, the SIG has typically released a new core specification every 18 months, timed with the completion of a major new Bluetooth feature. While this approach has been effective in enabling the delivery of transformative updates, it has also meant that other Bluetooth features, enhancements, and fixes had to wait until the completion of a major feature before being released. To address this, the SIG will now follow a more frequent release cycle, publishing two updates to the Bluetooth® Core Specification each year. This will allow the introduction of completed features on a more consistent and frequent basis, ensuring faster innovation and continuous improvement.

 

"Moving to a bi-annual release cycle for the Bluetooth Core Specification represents a pivotal step forward for the entire Bluetooth technology ecosystem," said Alain Michaud, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Bluetooth SIG. "This new cadence will ensure that incremental improvements and features can reach developers and manufacturers faster, fueling innovation and helping them meet the evolving needs of the market with greater agility. By adopting this approach, we’re not just accelerating the development cycle—we’re also reinforcing the Bluetooth SIG’s commitment to continually strengthen the foundation for the future of wireless connectivity."

 

As a reminder, Bluetooth SIG members are strongly encouraged to avoid communicating the version of the Bluetooth® Core Specification against which a product was qualified (e.g., Bluetooth Core 6.0) to describe the Bluetooth functionality supported in that product. Doing so can create misunderstandings about the product’s capabilities. For example, a device qualified to Bluetooth Core 6.0 is not required to contain any of the new features added in Bluetooth Core 6.0 or even in Bluetooth Core 5.0.

 

Instead, members should focus on clearly and accurately describing the specific Bluetooth features their product supports, emphasizing those most important to their target customers, in product packaging, documentation, and promotional materials. Guidance for effectively communicating support for specific Bluetooth features and applications in member products can be found here: Communicating Supported Bluetooth® Functionality.

 

Details about the upcoming Spring 2025 release will be shared as soon as they are available.

 

Sincerely, 

 

The Bluetooth SIG 

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 Bluetooth SIG에서 1년에 2차례 version을 release하기로 결정했다.

기존에는 큰 변화가 있을 때마다 core version을 올렸는데 이제는 Android처럼 주기적으로 version을 올리고 알아서 new feature를 선택하도록 권장하고 있다.

때문에 제품을 홍보할 때도 Core version에 의미를 두지 말라고 한다.

사실 이 문제는 Bluetooth를 담당하던 사람들도 많이 헷갈리던 부분인데 기능들이 optional로 되어 있어 core version이 높다고 해서 그 모든 기능을 지원하는 것이 아닌데 오해가 많이 생기기 때문이다.

 

이제는 core version별로 어떤 기능이 추가되었나보다는 어떠한 기능들이 있느냐에 초점을 맞추고 세부적으로 어느 버전부터 추가 되었나 정도만 알면 될 것 같다.