- The Bluetooth 6.1 update has just been announced
- It should improve the intimacy of the devices and the battery life
- This could happen to Android iPhones and devices this year
Your next phone could be delivered with a new Bluetooth functionality that could make you more difficult to follow you and increase the life of your battery at the same time, in a double victory for one of the best phones that incorporate it. And even if we do not know its exact release date, there is a chance that we can even see it this year.
The functionality in question of the new Bluetooth 6.1 protocol is called RPA randomized RPA updates, and it has just been announced as part of the Bluetooth upgrade. In this case, RPA means a resoluable private address, and it is this part that will have an impact on your privacy.
Indeed, under Bluetooth 6.0, the devices will modify their identifier addresses on a defined timer, and this predictable process makes them easier to follow. With the RPA randomized RPA update of Bluetooth 6.1, these address changes will occur at random, with an interval between eight and 15 minutes (although it can be personalized anywhere from each second at all hours). This eliminates the update model, making your device much more difficult to follow and exploit.
This change also affects battery life, as the process can be managed by the Bluetooth chip on your phone rather than its processor. The lower load on the processor of your device should result in better efficiency, which in turn means the slower battery discharge.
When will we see these changes?
Bluetooth 6.1 has just been revealed as part of the new bi-annual version of the protocol, but there is a chance that we can see it in new devices this year.
Apple, for example, has a decent record to adopt new technologies in its products, so there is a possibility that we can see Bluetooth 6.0 – or perhaps even Bluetooth 6.1 – in its iPhone 17 range.
However, 2026 feels like a more likely date for Bluetooth 6.1 to make its debut in phones, both of the Apple and Android variety. Usually, with new Bluetooth technology, it is better not to wait for it too early.
When it happens, however, this should bring advantages both to your privacy and the life of the battery of your phone – and it is a double bonus to wait.
