Next version of Bluetooth expected to be ready mid-2009

A new version of the Bluetooth specification is likely to be ready by mid-2009, reports Wireless Week. There will be one version for Wi-Fi and another one for ultrawideband (UWB) antennas. The Wi-Fi version will be marketed as Bluetooth 10x, while the UWB version will be known as Bluetooth 100x. In addition to faster overall speeds, this major update to Bluetooth will also have faster connection times, which will be useful for devices such as Bluetooth earpieces and headphones.

While the final name of this new specification has yet to be decided, the sheer number of improvements will probably mean that this next iteration of Bluetooth will probably be called Bluetooth 3.0, according to Bluetooth Special Interest Group Executive Director Mike Foley. Finally, low-power versions of Bluetooth are also on the road map. Recently, manufacturers such as Broadcom have unveiled chips that can handle 802.11n, Bluetooth and even FM radio. You can expect new designs of similar products to incorporate Bluetooth 3.0 when it is finalized.

To read more:
- check out this article from Wireless Week

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