Bluetooth 6.0 has been announced with "true distance awareness" to make it easier to find lost items, including your remote control. It will also improve auto-switching between paired devices.

The new technology is called Bluetooth Channel Sounding and is said to offer centimeter-level accuracy for 'Find My' solutions.

- "Bluetooth technology has become an ingredient of everyday life," said Neville Meijers, CEO, Bluetooth SIG. "When connected devices are distance-aware, a range of new possibilities emerge. Adding true distance awareness to Bluetooth technology exemplifies the ongoing commitment of the Bluetooth SIG community to continuously enhance our connection with our devices, one another, and the world around us."


 Example of the 'Find My' Bluetooth system in Apple TV, which can become much more accurate with Bluetooth 6.0. Photo: FlatpanelsHD

In other words, your Bluetooth-enabled phone could be used to find a lost Bluetooth-enabled remote control with centimeter-level precision.

Apple already employs such as system to help you find the latest Apple TV remote via your iPhone, but it is built on a previous version of Bluetooth so it is not as accurate.


Auto-switching between devices
Bluetooth Channel Sounding is not limited to any type of device or scenario. It will also work with Bluetooth tags attached to, for example, a wallet or backbag. In addition, it will enhance the functionality and security of digital key solutions, according to the Bluetooth group.

In essence, any Bluetooth 6.0 device can become a 'Find My' device.

In addition, Bluetooth Channel Sounding will open up new possibilities for spatial awareness between Bluetooth 6.0 devices to turn on/off devices or to switch pairing.

- "Imagine Bluetooth mice, keyboards, and game controllers that can automatically switch between active and inactive states based on their distance from a laptop. In industrial settings, distance aware Bluetooth Human-Machine Interface (HMI) solutions can increase personnel safety by only allowing usage from a safe distance. Meanwhile, Bluetooth device networks, such as those used for networked lighting control, can more easily self-configure to enhance system performance using this innovative technology. With well over 5 billion Bluetooth enabled devices forecasted to ship in 2024 alone, the opportunities are significant."

Two methods are used to determine distance, known as Phase-Based Ranging (PBR) and Round-Trip Timing (RTT). They can be used separately or in unison.

It is unclear when the first devices with Bluetooth 6.0 will be launched.

Bluetooth 6.0 – new features
Bluetooth Core Specification version 6.0:

Bluetooth Channel Sounding will enable a standards-based, secure approach to reliable and accurate distance measurement and many types of products will benefit. 
Decision-based advertising filtering will improve throughput and reliability when using Bluetooth extended advertising for connectionless data transfer.
Monitoring advertisers will be useful to application developers and enable the provision of better user interfaces and an improved user experience.
The improvements made to ISOAL will benefit audio applications for which low latency is important.
The LL extended feature set capability enables feature support discovery in the most sophisticated, feature-rich devices.
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