The Bluetooth Special Interest Group has formally adopted Bluetooth High Data Throughput as an optional feature of the Bluetooth Core 7.0 specification. The upgrade raises the maximum supported bit rate of Bluetooth LE from 2 Mbps to 7.5 Mbps, nearly quadrupling the ceiling. The SIG had been previewing the technology over the past year before adopting it. The change applies to devices using Bluetooth Low Energy, the variant of the wireless standard common in wearables and accessories.
Wireless audio is expected to be the main use of Bluetooth HDT, and the first devices supporting the feature are expected to appear sometime in 2027. The higher bit rate can carry high-resolution audio and enables new listening experiences, including spatial audio and multichannel surround sound, without proprietary wireless formats. That could matter to US consumers who currently rely on vendor-specific codecs to get higher-quality sound from headphones and speakers.
The benefits extend beyond headphones. Bluetooth HDT can move more data in less time, so a smartwatch could sync training, health and fitness data to a phone without hurting battery life because its radio needs to be active for shorter periods. Spatial computing and extended reality devices could deliver richer experiences without a Wi-Fi connection. The feature could also help the growing category of personal AI devices hand data off to a smartphone for processing more efficiently, allowing the devices themselves to be lighter and smaller.
Routine tasks stand to get quicker as well. Firmware updates for a smartwatch or smart home accessories could complete faster, making an update something users do not have to postpone until they are not using the device.
Neville Meijers, CEO of the Bluetooth SIG, said Bluetooth HDT brings a new level of performance to the technology and expands the role it can play across consumer, commercial and industrial markets. He described it as a foundation for the next generation of wireless innovation, adding that Bluetooth has continually evolved to meet the demands of an increasingly connected world. The SIG oversees the wireless standard.
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