A new Bluetooth upgrade signals great news for phone and wireless headphone users

There's a chance you may not pay all that much attention to the Bluetooth version your wireless device is running and that's okay. We can understand how it might not be a huge priority – if your device supports Bluetooth generally, and connects easily, then why concern yourself with the details.

However, the different Bluetooth versions do usually add new, exciting features. So, it might be worth noting which variant your phone or headphones support, for example, as they might be more capable than you thought.

Bluetooth 5.4 requires less power, for example, allowing for longer battery life for connected devices like wearables and sensors.

It's that version of Bluetooth that you'll currently find in some of the best phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S25, while Apple's iPhone 16 supports Bluetooth 5.3, so there might be a few differences between their wireless use.

Neither run the latest versions of Bluetooth, though.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) is responsible for maintaining and improving Bluetooth specification and it works on a bi-annual update schedule. As such, the specifications for Bluetooth 6.0 have already been released, delivering high-accuracy distance tracking to devices.

What does Bluetooth 6.0 and 6.1 offer?

A recent report from Apple Insider suggests Bluetooth 6.1 will take things even further. It centres on better privacy and further improved battery life for phone accessories.

It says that supporting devices running Bluetooth 6.1 will be able to change their digital addresses randomly, which will make tracking more difficult – hence the privacy improvements.

Bluetooth version 6.0 already features this technology – called Randomised Resolvable Private Addresses, or Randomised RPA – but it is said to have set intervals for when the addresses would refresh, while Bluetooth 6.1 will switch the refresh to anywhere between eight and 15 minutes. This makes it even less predictable.

Now for the best bit – the report also suggests that with 6.1, the Bluetooth controller can handle the address-changing operation itself, rather than the processor in your device. That means less battery life is needed to operate the feature, thereby reducing the strain on your phone.

For now, we don't know what devices will support Bluetooth 6.0 or Bluetooth 6.1 as yet, but when they do eventually arrive (likely next year), it's good news not only for range but battery life too.