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4.2 is the answer to life, the universe and the Internet of Everything

Bluetooth 4.2 will add direct IPv6 connections to sensors 'n' stuff

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has signed off on version 4.2 of the Bluetooth core specification, and Internet of Stuff proponents will enjoy the fine print.

The headline item for punters in the enhanced spec is speed, but the detailed spec for protocol seems not to detail increased bitrates. What has been increased is packet size, apparently by a factor of ten. More data arriving at the same rate looks will certainly look and feel like faster transmission, even if the average user doesn't know how the trick's been achieved.

The other item of interest is that Bluetooth Smart-equipped devices will be able to access the Internet directly using IPv6/6LoWPAN. This enhancement means Bluetooth devices on a network's edge will be able to communicate with other existing IPv6 devices, instead of bouncing through an intermediary.

Which is kind of a big deal for the Internet of Stuff, as it will mean that Bluetooth devices can chat with other devices on other networks more easily.

The IPv6 stuff is still going through its very final revisions, but is promised to be ready by Christmas.

All this magic happens while slurping less power, another improvement that IoT enthusiasts will welcome.

There's also some nice improvements to security said to make it harder to track Bluetooth devices without permission, a useful tweak given various parties' interest in tracking MAC addresses as they move through meatspace. ®

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