However, with so many Bluetooth versions, figuring out if you’re using the best version is difficult.

Bluetooth 5.3 is fast becoming the standard for new devices.

But do you really need to upgrade your hardware to keep up with the latest Bluetooth standards?

Bluetooth 5.3

What Is Bluetooth 5.3?

Bluetooth 5.3 launched in 2021 and introduced several enhancements for consumers and developers.

One major improvement is connection subrating.

smartphone and bluetooth speaker

Often, devices work on a low-duty cycle connection to conserve energy.

However, when high bandwidth support is needed, the connection parameters should change almost instantly.

Otherwise, there’s a delay.

Two other notable features of the Bluetooth 5.3 update include channel classification and periodic advertising enhancements.

The second, periodic advertising enhancement, simplifies how devices share information.

Normally, Bluetooth devices repeatedly send the same data to ensure it is reliably delivered.

Bluetooth 5.0

Bluetooth 5.0 launched in 2016 and was a major improvement from Bluetooth 4.2.

It came with a message capacity of 255 bytes, eight times larger than Bluetooth 4.2’s 31 bytes.

This doubled data travel speeds and quadrupled the communication range while maintaining a low power consumption rate.

Enhancing location-based services improved navigation and tracking capabilities in indoor environments.

Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio was also enhanced for better audio quality and synchronization.

Bluetooth 5.2

Bluetooth 5.2, released in early 2020, focused on improving audio quality.

Bluetooth Low Energy Power Control was introduced to optimize power consumption in low-energy devices.

Together, these two components powerBluetooth Auracast, which enables simultaneous audio streaming from one equipment.

Bluetooth 5.2 also introduced the Enhanced Attribute Protocol (EATT).

Previously, Bluetooth devices inefficiently traded attribute data to convey information about their status and capabilities.

What Is Bluetooth 5.4?

Bluetooth 5.4 is the latest version, officially released in early 2023.

It has a few updates that improveBluetooth’s functionalityby enabling bidirectional and secure communication between low-power devices.