Bluetooth is a short-range wireless communication technology that has evolved from its early, simple connectivity capabilities to be utilized in a wide variety of devices, raising security concerns and expanding its range of uses. The technology is revolutionizing our lives in many areas, including smart homes, wearables, IoT, and more, and its role will only grow in the future.

What is Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology that connects electronic devices such as smartphones, earphones, and laptops to each other, allowing information to flow. This technology has replaced complicated cable connections and greatly increased the convenience of everyday life. Bluetooth offers compatibility between a wide range of devices and is used not only for data transfer, but also for streaming audio, controlling smart home devices, and more.

The birth of Bluetooth

In 1994, a Swedish company called Ericsson began dabbling in a new communication technology. It was a technology that allowed cell phones and peripheral devices to exchange information wirelessly instead of over wires, in order to reduce power consumption and create a cheaper interface. The technology was initially developed as a simple wireless communication solution, but its potential was soon recognized around the world. With Bluetooth, Ericsson aimed to increase integration between various devices and maximize the convenience of wireless communication. To this end, Ericsson formed alliances with other telecommunications device companies, and in February 1998, a Special Interest Group (SIG) was formed, consisting of numerous companies, including Ericsson. Since then, Bluetooth has been gradually commercialized and developed, and is now a worldwide standard, with many of the world’s leading companies, including Microsoft, participating in the SIG.

How does Bluetooth work?

The basic principle of Bluetooth is the transmission of information using waves. Bluetooth uses the ISM (Industrial Scientific and Medical) frequency band between 2400 and 2483.5 MHz, which is shared by a wide variety of devices, including home appliances and medical devices. With such limited frequencies, Bluetooth has faced the technical challenge of maintaining reliable communication while minimizing interference. To do this, Bluetooth uses a method called frequency hopping. Frequency hopping is a method of transmitting data using multiple channels that change rapidly and in a specific way. Bluetooth hops between its 79 channels 1600 times per second.
However, this hopping pattern doesn’t mean that a connection is instantly established. This pattern must be synchronized between Bluetooth devices before they can communicate. Devices that use Bluetooth are organized into masters and slaves. If the slave device doesn’t synchronize the frequency hopping that the master device makes, the two devices won’t be able to communicate. Because of this, multiple Bluetooth devices can operate simultaneously, and such a network is called a Piconet. Up to seven slave devices can connect to a master device, and if there is no master device, there is no connection between the slave devices. However, devices aren’t strictly defined as master or slave, but can be either master or slave depending on the situation. This flexibility allows Bluetooth to be used in a wide variety of situations.

Typical Bluetooth functions

There are many different functions that Bluetooth technology is used for. Two of the most developed are wireless headsets and wireless file transfer.
Wireless headsets: By connecting a headset to an electronic device (cell phone or laptop) via Bluetooth, you can take calls or listen to music while keeping your device in your pocket or bag. This is especially useful during exercise or while driving. Initially used for simple voice calls, Bluetooth now supports high-quality audio streaming and even noise canceling, providing a richer user experience.
Wireless file transfer: You can use Bluetooth to transfer files between phones or between your phone and computer. There’s no extra charge, but you can only exchange information between Bluetooth-enabled devices. This is especially useful for quickly exchanging small amounts of data over short distances. In recent years, it’s been combined with other wireless technologies like NFC (near field communication) for even faster and more secure file transfers.

Weaknesses of Bluetooth

One of the biggest weaknesses of Bluetooth is the issue of hacking. It’s very easy to be hacked while Bluetooth is on. There are three main types of hacking using Bluetooth: bluejacking, blue sniffing, and bluebugging. Bluejacking is a simple hack, like sending spam messages to your device, which is annoying but not a security issue. Blue sniffing, on the other hand, involves accessing information stored on a device, such as phone numbers, emails, message information, and even personal notes. Bluebugging is also a big security threat, as it can be used to remotely control cell phones and eavesdrop on calls. Bluetooth security issues have become a major concern for both organizations and home users, and efforts are ongoing to improve these vulnerabilities. Another weakness is that its range is still limited. Its use has been limited to a few devices, such as wireless headsets. It’s still more common to use other wireless networks or the internet than Bluetooth to pass information from a cell phone or laptop. However, this limitation is gradually improving as Bluetooth technology evolves. In particular, the latest versions, such as Bluetooth 5.0, have greatly improved transmission speed and range, allowing for widespread use in more devices.

The future of Bluetooth

Compared to the early days of Bluetooth, today’s Bluetooth has come a long way. While the earliest Bluetooth only had a maximum transmission speed of 1 Mbps, it now has an average speed of 24 Mbps. Batteries have also been able to lower their power consumption to the point where they can last for years on a coin battery in a wristwatch. As you can see, Bluetooth has become more reliable and efficient in communicating between devices. Currently, Bluetooth is still under constant research to make it even faster and minimize power consumption.
To compensate for its vulnerability to hacking, Bluetooth is very concerned about security and privacy with each new technology it creates. They’ve partnered with security product companies to enhance the security of Bluetooth, and they’re taking measures on both fronts by encouraging users to be cautious about using Bluetooth in public. These efforts are helping to make Bluetooth a safer and more reliable technology.
Finally, the limited scope side has also been working to increase the scope of Bluetooth by introducing Bluetooth functionality to various technologies. For example, Bluetooth is being used in cameras and imaging devices to make it easier to view videos and photos, or to increase the speed of information transfer between individuals. In addition, the possibilities of Bluetooth continue to expand in various fields such as smart homes, wearable devices, and the automotive industry. Especially when combined with the Internet of Things (IoT), Bluetooth is expected to play an even more important role in our future lives.