Bluetooth 5.4 Officially Released (2024)

Feb 10, 2023 | Headphones, Industry News | 0 |

Bluetooth releases new power networking feature

Bluetooth® has just released a new ultra-low power networking feature that is expected to enable high-volume applications including Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) for retail applications whereby thousands of connected end nodes are synchronized with infrastructure. This new headline capability in the Bluetooth 5.4 core specification is known as Periodic Advertising with Responses (PAwR). This update comes on the heels of Bluetooth LE Audio debuting in the market in devices such as the Google Pixel 7 as well as in products from OnePlus and Samsung such as ear buds, smartphones and a TV.

Earlier this month, Packetcraft joined Nordic Semiconductor in showcasing the latest in LE Audio during CES which included a demo featuring the all-new Google Pixel 7 natively supporting multi-stream LE Audio wirelessly streaming to stereo headphones.

“Today, we are pleased to share that the team at Packetcraft continues our innovative leadership of delivering the latest stacks and software solutions by supporting the newly published Bluetooth 5.4 core specification along with new profiles and services. Bluetooth 5.4 adds support for PAwR to Bluetooth LE along with a number of minor feature improvements. PAwR defines a new Bluetooth LE logical transport used to communicate periodic broadcast control and user data to synchronized devices in a particular area. This, for instance, allows bi-directional communication between a hub and thousands of end nodes that only have to listen infrequently for information directed to them as they are highly synchronized and correspondingly ultra-low power. By including response slots, we can achieve high reliability acknowledgements confirming message receipt which can be used by the higher layers” said Bob Brand, VP of Software Engineering, Packetcraft Inc.

For more information about PAwR or to inquire about Bluetooth host, controller, and LC3 stacks and software solutions, contact Packetcraft at [emailprotected].