Bluetooth 5, the latest version of the wireless standard that exchanges data using radio transmissions, is going to be formally announced on June 16th. Bluetooth 5 will double the range, and quadruple the speed of low energy Bluetooth transmissions. It will also provide new functionality for connectionless services, like location-relevant information and navigation.

“Our Core Specification Working Group is busy finalizing the next Bluetooth release,” says Mark Powell, executive director, Bluetooth SIG. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) is the caretaker and creator of the core specification and services.

By the way, did you know? The name Bluetooth came from a tenth century Danish King, Harald Blåtand or, in English, Harold Bluetooth. As the story goes, King Blåtand helped unite warring factions in parts of what are now Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Similarly, Bluetooth technology was created as an open standard to allow connectivity and collaboration between disparate products and industries.