Spotlight on Bluetooth: What it is and how we got this version of wireless tech in 2022

Spotlight on Bluetooth (Image credit: Windows Central)

If you'd have asked me 15 years ago what Bluetooth is, I may have been able to vaguely mention something about transmitting stuff (because I probably wouldn't have even used the term "data") over the air. The average person may not have even ever heard the term in 2004. But here we are today, in 2019, looking down the barrel of Bluetooth 5.1 and a lot more people know a lot more about this technology. It's so ubiquitous in our everyday life that, chances are, even your grandparents have a device with Bluetooth.

We expect our computers to support Bluetooth. We demand that our wireless headphones run on the very latest version of it, but do we really know what it's all about?

Do you know when Bluetooth was first introduced? Or how it got its name? Why gamers don't like it as much as RF receivers? Why it never seems to work right in your car?

The dedicated team at iMore, along with our sister sites, Android Central and Windows Central, have joined together at the writer's table to come up with answers to the unasked questions of what Bluetooth is, how it affects our daily lives, and where we would be without it.

From the basics of where the Bluetooth name and iconic logo come from, to the weirdest gadgets we could find that support Bluetooth, we've developed a series of 20 articles that cover the broader, informative aspects of the technology to more niche, specific content.

You're guaranteed to find some useful information that you can share around the water cooler. If you're trying to impress your boss, you can dive into the history of the five (plus point-one) major Bluetooth version releases. If you want to have a good laugh, check out our collection of Bluetooth memes (yes, they do exist).

Our Spotlight on Bluetooth coverage can be found below and you can find something that piques your interest by clicking on any of the links. If this sort of content puts a smile on your face, let us know what you want us to spotlight next and we'll hash it out at the writer's table.

— Lory Gil

All 20 stories from our 2019 Spotlight on Bluetooth package, all in one place. Whether it's a spot of Bluetooth history, a bit of humor or wireless memery, or some thoughtful analysis on the future of the short-range tech, you'll find it right here, courtesy of the folks at iMore, Android Central, and Windows Central.

General Bluetooth

Introduction to our 2019 Spotlight on Bluetooth
Where did the Bluetooth name and logo come from?
A history of all the major Bluetooth releases and updates
Where Bluetooth is headed, and the challenges it must overcome to get there
Bluetooth 5: Is it actually better, and do you need it?
Why Bluetooth is so great (and so terrible): A story told via memes
Why the Bluetooth in your car sucks (and always will)
12 weird Bluetooth gadgets the Mobile Nations team uses every day

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Lory is a renaissance woman, writing news, reviews, and how-to guides for iMore. She also fancies herself a bit of a rock star in her town and spends too much time reading comic books. If she's not typing away at her keyboard, you can probably find her at Disneyland or watching Star Wars (or both).