November 5, 2026, 3:46 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Bluetooth is set to become significantly faster. With Bluetooth HDT, the maximum data rate increases drastically, promising not only better sound but also potential changes for smartwatches and smart glasses.
Bluetooth is nearly four times faster
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), which develops the wireless standard, is introducing Bluetooth HDT as an optional feature of Bluetooth Core 7.0. The new technology aims to increase the maximum supported data rate of Bluetooth LE from the current 2 to 7.5 megabits per second. This could allow Bluetooth to transmit significantly larger amounts of data in a shorter time.
Initially, wireless audio is expected to benefit the most. The higher bandwidth provides more room for high-resolution music transmission, as well as more complex applications like spatial audio and multichannel surround sound. Manufacturers could implement such features via Bluetooth without needing to use their own wireless technologies. The first devices with Bluetooth HDT are expected in 2027.
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Smartwatches could last longer
The increased speed is not only interesting for headphones. A smartwatch could, for example, send extensive training, health, or fitness data to a smartphone more quickly. Since the transmission takes less time, the Bluetooth module needs to be active for a shorter period. This could reduce energy consumption and ideally improve battery life.
Even relatively unspectacular tasks could benefit. Firmware updates for smartwatches or smart home products could be transmitted much faster. Especially for devices that have received larger updates relatively slowly via Bluetooth, the higher data rate would be immediately noticeable in everyday use.
Smart glasses also benefit from the Bluetooth boost
Bluetooth HDT could be even more interesting for so-called spatial computing and extended reality devices. Smart glasses could transfer large amounts of data more quickly to a paired smartphone that handles computationally intensive tasks. A Wi-Fi connection would no longer be necessary for certain applications.
At the same time, the division of labor between glasses and smartphone could help make wearables smaller and lighter, as less powerful hardware needs to be embedded directly in the device. Bluetooth SIG chief Neville Meijers describes HDT as a new performance level for Bluetooth. The technology is intended to benefit not only consumer devices but also commercial and industrial applications, laying the foundation for new classes of wireless devices.