Over the years, the different generations of Bluetooth in iPhones have improved the user experience and increased compatibility with accessories and wearables. From faster data transfer and improved security to greater range and power efficiency, each generation has helped refine iPhone wireless communication.
Bluetooth technology is a crucial part of the modern smartphone, playing an important role in wireless communication, connecting to accessories, and transferring data. Read on to learn more about the evolution of Bluetooth in iPhones and its functionalities.
Bluetooth 2.0+EDR / 2.1+EDR
This generation of Bluetooth brought improvements in data transfer speeds, with Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) providing faster data transfers of up to 3 Mbps. Bluetooth 2.1+EDR introduced Secure Simple Pairing (SSP), making it easier and more secure to pair devices.
- iPhone (original)
- iPhone 3G
- iPhone 3GS
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth 4.0 introduced the Low Energy (LE) feature, which reduced power consumption and extended battery life. This was especially useful for devices that needed to stay connected all the time, such as wearables and smart sensors.
- iPhone 4
- iPhone 4S
Bluetooth 4.0 LE (Low Energy)
This generation built on the benefits of Bluetooth 4.0 and further improved the Low Energy (LE) feature, improving compatibility with a wider range of accessories and wearables while maintaining energy efficiency.
- iPhone 5
- iPhone 5c
- iPhone 5s
Bluetooth 4.2
Bluetooth 4.2 brought improvements in security, speed, and privacy. It increased data transfer speeds and improved security by implementing FIPS-compliant encryption. In addition, user privacy was improved by using random addresses, making it harder to track devices.
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone SE (1st generation)
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0 offered significant improvements in speed, range and data capacity. It doubled the speed to 2 Mbps and increased the range to 200 meters (in ideal conditions). In addition, the data transmission capacity was increased, resulting in better performance for audio and data applications.
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone X
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
Bluetooth 5.1
Bluetooth 5.1 introduced directional location capabilities, allowing devices to provide more precise location data. This made it possible to determine the position of devices in 3D, which is useful for applications such as indoor navigation and asset tracking.
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Bluetooth 5.2
Bluetooth 5.2 brought further improvements in speed, efficiency and audio. With the introduction of LE Audio, it became possible to stream high-quality audio to multiple devices simultaneously, while maintaining low power consumption. In addition, Bluetooth 5.2 included improvements in coexistence with other wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi, increasing the reliability of wireless connections.
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
