Bluetooth LE gains optional 7.5 Mbps high data throughput mode

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group, the organization that oversees the wireless standard, has formally adopted Bluetooth High Data Throughput, or HDT, as an optional feature of Bluetooth Core 7.0. As an optional feature, HDT support is not required across all Bluetooth devices.

The new mode raises the maximum supported bit rate on Bluetooth LE devices from 2 Mbps to up to 7.5 Mbps, nearly four times higher, according to the SIG and Engadget. The Verge reported that the SIG had been previewing the feature for the past year.

The primary application for Bluetooth HDT will again be wireless audio. According to The Verge, the higher bit rate enables high-resolution audio streaming and also improves battery life and reliability. Engadget says the connection will enable higher quality wireless audio.

The added bandwidth also opens the door to new wireless audio experiences. The Verge says HDT supports spatial audio and multichannel surround sound without proprietary wireless formats, while Engadget mentions new spatial and multi-channel audio experiences.

Outside audio, Engadget says the increased throughput should boost general efficiency and reliability, and it will benefit data-hungry AI applications and spatial computing devices. The Verge writes that smartwatches could sync training, health, and fitness data to a phone without hurting battery life because HDT transfers more data in less time, letting the Bluetooth radio stay on for shorter periods. Spatial computing and extended reality devices could provide more robust experiences without a Wi-Fi connection, and personal AI devices could offload data to a smartphone more efficiently, enabling smaller and lighter designs.

Less flashy tasks should also improve. The Verge notes that updating firmware on a smartwatch or smart home accessory could feel faster and become something you don't need to postpone. Engadget adds that updating a smartwatch's firmware or syncing fitness data between devices should be much quicker and less disruptive. Since HDT works with Bluetooth LE, devices gain from the standard's inherently power-saving nature, Engadget says.

Neville Meijers, CEO of the Bluetooth SIG, said in a statement: "Bluetooth HDT brings a new level of performance to Bluetooth technology, expanding the role it can play across consumer, commercial, and industrial markets and creating a powerful foundation for the next generation of wireless innovation."

The Verge reports that the first products supporting HDT are expected sometime in 2027, while Engadget says the first devices should arrive in early 2027 ahead of a wider rollout.