RFBluetooth 5.0 vs. 4.2: Key Differences and Improvements
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Bluetooth 5.0 has gained significant traction, especially in the Internet of Things (IoT) and Bluetooth Beacon markets. As the latest iteration of Bluetooth specifications, it succeeds Bluetooth 4.2. This article compares Bluetooth 5.0 and 4.2, outlining their key differences and features.
Bluetooth 5 is backward compatible with older versions, including v1.2, v2, v2.1, v3, v4, v4.1, and v4.2. It’s designed to meet the needs of IoT devices by offering lower power consumption, extended range, and increased speed. Expect to see Bluetooth 5 integrated into smartphones and other devices.
One notable improvement is in connectionless broadcasting. While limited to 31 bytes in Bluetooth 4.2, Bluetooth 5 expands this to 255 bytes, making it ideal for Bluetooth beacons used in advertising by shopping malls and parking facilities.
Bluetooth 4.2: Packet Formats
The image above illustrates the advertising and data packet formats in Bluetooth 4.2. For a more detailed explanation, refer to articles on BLE advertising and data packet formats.
Bluetooth 5.0: Data and Signaling Frames
The images showcase the data frame and signaling frame formats as per Bluetooth 5.0.
Bluetooth 5.0 vs. 4.2: A Detailed Comparison
The following table highlights the key differences between Bluetooth 5 and Bluetooth 4.2:
| Specifications or features | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 4.2 |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Higher, twice that of Bluetooth 4.2. Supports about 2 Mbps. | Lower, supports about 1 Mbps. |
| Range | Higher, four times that of Bluetooth 4.2. Supports 200 meters in Line Of Sight (LOS) in outdoor environments, 40 meters indoors. | Lower, supports 50 meters outdoors and 10 meters indoors. |
| Power Requirement | Low | High |
| Message Capacity | Large, about 255 bytes. | Small, about 31 bytes (17-20 bytes for actual data payload). |
| Robustness | More robust in congested environments. | Less robust. |
| Battery Life | Longer | Shorter |
| Security Control | Better | Less secure compared to Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Theoretical Data Throughput | 2 Mbps (about 1.6 Mbps with overhead) | 1 Mbps |
| Reliability | High | Low |
| Digital Life | Better | Less refined compared to Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Support for IoT devices | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Beacon | More popular due to increased speed and range. | Less popular due to lower speed/range and limited message capacity of about 31 bytes. |
Conclusion
After comparing Bluetooth 4.2 and 5.0, it’s clear that Bluetooth 5.0 will become increasingly prevalent in smartphones, IoT devices, and Bluetooth Beacons. Popular Bluetooth beacons include iBeacon from Apple and Eddystone from Google.
