Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the company that oversees Bluetooth technology, announced on Tuesday the release of Bluetooth Core Specification version 6.0, which focuses on location tracking accuracy and privacy.

While this update includes new features and several feature enhancements, one of the major highlights of the new version is Bluetooth Channel Sounding. This new secure, fine-ranging feature promises to improve the convenience, safety, and security of Bluetooth-connected devices and provides centimeter-level distance measurement between Bluetooth 6.0 devices.

This feature is expected to benefit various apps, such as Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find My Device, by adding true distance awareness to them. This will help improve the accuracy and user experience of these solutions, making it considerably easier and quicker for users to locate lost items. It will also improve the security of digital key solutions by ensuring that only authorized users within a specified range can unlock doors or access secure areas.

“Bluetooth® technology has become an ingredient of everyday life. 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,” said Neville Meijers, CEO of Bluetooth Special Interest Group, in a press release.

Another feature coming to Bluetooth 6.0 devices is Decision-Based Advertising Filtering, which ensures that devices will scan secondary channels only when relevant information is received on the primary channel, thereby conserving battery life.

Similarly, the Monitoring Advertisers feature uses Host Controller Interface (HCI) events to inform the host whenever a Bluetooth device of interest moves in and out of range. This helps prevent wasted energy by not performing high-duty cycle scanning for a previously discovered device that is no longer in range.

Next is the new Isochronous Adaptation Layer (ISOAL) Enhancement feature, which has been improved by defining a new framing mode that reduces latency and improves reliability for audio apps, especially in gaming. This feature makes transmitting larger data frames in smaller link-layer packets possible.

Further, the LL Extended Feature Set capability has been enhanced to support a greater number of features in the most sophisticated, feature-rich devices. Additionally, the Frame Space Update feature in version 6.0 of the Bluetooth Core Specification is now negotiable and may be shorter or longer than 150 µs.

While Bluetooth Core Specification version 6.0 is now available to developers, no devices have been announced to support Bluetooth 6.0. Hence, it remains unclear when this new standard will be available for public users.