Today we do not understand our smartphone without Bluetooth connectivity. This standard allows the transmission of voice and data between different devices by means of a radio frequency link. When we talk about a new mobile that goes on the market, we always refer to the version of Bluetooth that it has certified, since the performance can vary a lot from one to another.
It goes without saying that Bluetooth is frequently used in a large number of products in addition to our mobiles, such as printers, tablets, speakers or headphones. Years ago it was the most comfortable method to transfer files between two mobiles safely, but today, it has practically been reduced to intercommunication between devices.
Bluetooth on mobiles
The Bluetooth of our mobiles has gone through different phases from the problematic first version of 1999, with all its connection and security failures, to the most recent version 5.2, which we find in the latest high-end terminals of 2020. Depending on the version of Bluetooth that our mobile has, we will have more or less capacity, connection speed or range. At this time, it is impossible for us to buy a new mobile, and it does not come with at least version 4.2 of Bluetooth, which was launched in 2010, so we will start from this standard to see the differences.
Therefore, at the moment, we can find mobile phones on the market with variants of Bluetooth versions 4 or 5. The jump has been considerable from version 4.2 until the Bluetooth 5 version was launched in 2017. Its differences limit the response and action capabilities of our mobiles, so, although it is not a defining element in the purchase option, Yes, it must be taken into account if we use this technology a lot, connecting multiple devices.
The advantages of some mobiles over others
The speed is one of the main differences, if we have a mobile with the Bluetooth 4 standard, the transfer speed will be about 24 megabytes per second, being about 50 megabytes per second in the Bluetooth standard. In addition, the Bluetooth range of action has risen to 400 meters in the latest versions , something very important in order to have greater stability. A mobile with Bluetooth 4.2 has an approximate range of 100 meters. In this way, mobiles with the most modern standard can connect faster, further and with a faster data transfer rate.
Another of the most important sections is that of security, which is improved with each new version, so that some terminals may be more exposed than others, despite the fact that security updates should anticipate detected security gaps.
What we will see from now on
At the beginning of the year, version 5.2 of the Bluetooth protocol was presented with important improvements in the Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) radio frequency mode . This means that mobile phones that begin to integrate this version will improve performance when there are several BLE devices connected simultaneously. Once again, security has been increased and consumption has been reduced, while signal stability is increased. It also allows you to send synchronized audio to multiple devices.
How do I know what Bluetooth my mobile has?
The Bluetooth version is not updated with new versions of the operating system, so we can only check the version of Bluetooth that we have out of curiosity. We can do it by entering the settings of our mobile and going to the “Bluetooth” application. In some terminals it is possible that it is necessary to activate Bluetooth to appear , while in others it is possible that we must activate the corresponding box to be able to see the applications or hidden processes of the system. Once inside, we will see the version of our mobile phone.