Bluetooth 4.2 will make your connected devices smarter, faster, and more secure

By Rich Edmonds
published

The Bluetooth Special Interests Group has shared with the world what Bluetooth 4.2 will bring to connected devices. According to details published by the group, consumers can look forward to improvements with regards to privacy, battery conservation and speed.

With hardware supporting Bluetooth 4.2, it will be possible to connect directly to the Internet through IPv6/6LoWPAN (without a go-between), negating the requirement to have specific access points or hubs configured to gain access to multiple devices. But that's not all, data can be transferred up to 2.5x faster with a substantial packet capacity increase.

As well as the new wireless capabilities, improvements made to battery consumption will be warmly received by consumers. Unfortunately for those interested, the specifications section of the website fails to shed light on how incremental battery life improvements will be with Bluetooth 4.2.

We'll be sure to keep you all updated with latest technology supporting this latest version of Bluetooth, but we will likely have to wait for 2015 before we begin to see manufacturers implement support. Current-gen devices that feature Bluetooth 4.1 will be able to make the switch to Bluetooth 4.2 via a firmware update, which is also down to the manufacturers.

Source: Bluetooth SIG

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

48 Comments
  • I thought it's the hardware not the software.
    My 720 is waiting
  • 1520 has 4.0 Bluetooth
  • Yea but I'm pretty sure 4.0 can be upgraded to 4.1 as it says here: http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/bluetooth-4-1-what-is-it-and-why-... So no reason to complain ... Is just a matter of oem supporting it with drivers
  • How do we upgrade it
  • Manufacturers
  • Doesn't matter as wp user.... Where is the fking notification for Bluetooth activities??
  • Apparently we don't need it
  • Don't talk for everyone, doesn't matter to you, but it matter for other people.
  • Your sarcasm detector is broken.
  • ^^this is funny shit
  • Maybe try a soft reset.
  • and you can count on microsoft not supporting it on windows phone for a long long time just as with 4.0LE
  • Technically this is something that's always been in the hands of the manufacturers. Prior to Nokia, no one bothered to put it in their Windows phones. And even then, Nokia didn't bother providing drivers for it for a while either...
  • Windows Phone 10 should be standard feature! v4.2
  • I wish the 1520 had 4.1 instead of 4.0 :.(
  • Should be but depends on chipset
  • Seem faster
  • Based off what? An article that told you it was faster?
  • Take a joke..
  • Delete this $h!t
  • Perhaps the 1030 will have 4.2.
  • Windows 10 will be the lead by example. Peile will think twice to make a smart buy. Its going to rock the era.
  • I'm not holding my breath waiting for my Icon to get this!
  • Will the surface pro 3 i7 get it?
  • Wp to wp Bluetooth transfer is too slow compared to wp to android!!!!
  • nfc is faster. i like it
  • Oh!!every device in market is equipped with nfc?
  • Verizon doesn't even have 4.0 LE yet. Great customer service by a premier American wireless company. Screw you Verizon!
  • My Icon has 4.0LE.
  • The Icon has the Ability for 4.0LE but it isnt active without Cyan.... So, how does yours have it?
  • That's only if you are on 8.1 if you are 8.0 BT LE works just fine.
  • Which phone has v4.1?
  • Nexus 6
  • LG G3 ftw.
  • What device has 4.1?
  • Nexus 6!!!
  • Looking forward to this and new reversible Type C micro-USB
  • Can't wait
  • Seems faster
  • Can 630 be upgraded to Bluetooth 4.1 ???
  • Yeah
  • Proof?
  • How? Have you tried it? Or have you read it somewhere?
  • it'll come with Microsoft's firmware update. lets say, if its ready by tomorrow, then it'll come bundled with denim update.
  • You've typed so much, I will just say *OMG*
  • Wish to have 5.1 or 7.1 audio without compression :)
  • Can we finally have a feature where users can control which profile is used? I hate that in some cars both old and new when I pair my phone it makes it a media device and calling device but then kills turn-by-turn voice navigation.
  • Yeah, that bothers me too