The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has officially released the Bluetooth Core Specification 6.1, introducing major improvements in privacy and energy efficiency for Bluetooth devices.
One of the standout upgrades is enhanced user privacy through randomized Resolvable Private Address (RPA) updates. Normally, Bluetooth devices change their addresses every 15 minutes to protect user identity. But since these changes happen at fixed times, it creates a predictable pattern that could be used to track someone over time.
With Bluetooth 6.1, this issue is tackled by randomizing the time of address changes, anywhere between 8 to 15 minutes by default. Device makers can even choose a custom range from 1 second to 1 hour. The new system uses a NIST-approved random number generator to decide when the address changes, making it much harder for anyone to follow or identify a device.
In addition to privacy, power efficiency is also getting a boost. In previous versions, Bluetooth chips had to wake the main processor to update addresses. But now, the chip (Controller) handles these tasks on its own, reducing CPU usage and saving battery life. This is especially helpful for small gadgets like fitness bands, earbuds, and smart sensors, where every bit of power matters.
However, while these features sound exciting, don’t expect them to appear in devices right away. Hardware support for Bluetooth 6.1 may not roll out until 2026, and even then, early versions might not fully support all the new features as manufacturers test and fine-tune their implementations.
