30Mb/sec Bluetooth breaking cover in 2009

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 5 Dec 2008 at 09:11

The specification for Bluetooth 2.2, the next generation of the short range wireless technology, will be released in the middle of 2009, according to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group.

The technology has been designed to work with other common wireless technologies such as WLAN and USB, and will be known as Bluetooth 10x or Bluetooth 100x, respectively.

The Special Interest Group claims the specification will offer much higher speeds than previous versions allowing the transfer of large files, wireless video streaming, and printing.

Potential transfer rates for Bluetooth 10x, the standard for WLAN, are being touted at around 30Mb/sec, while Bluetooth 100x for USB will offer transfers closer to 300Mb/sec, according to the group.

The current Bluetooth standard is capable of speeds of 3Mb/sec. The Special Interest Group expects the 10x standard to arrive first, due to the popularity of Wi-Fi modules in phones.