Apple officially adds Bluetooth 4.2 support to iPhone 6, 6 Plus & iPad Air 2
In announcing Bluetooth 4.2 support for iPhone 6s, iPad Pro and iPad mini 4 last month, Apple published product comparison charts suggesting that same technology was also activated in older hardware. The company recently confirmed that change by updating specific product pages for iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2.
Apple's iPad comparison chart (above) and iPad Air 2 specifications page as they appeared on Sept. 9.
As seen in the screenshots above, captured by AppleInsider reader Matthew on the day Apple unveiled its fall product lineup, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iPad Air 2 are listed as supporting the new Bluetooth 4.2 standard. At the time, detailed product pages dedicated to those three devices did not reflect such a change, instead listing compatibility with Bluetooth 4.0, causing some confusion as to actual product capabilities.
Apple has since updated its tech specs pages for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iPad Air 2 to indicate support for Bluetooth 4.2. Interestingly, each product retains its original model number, suggesting Apple either modified the Bluetooth stack in iOS 9 or built in new chips without changing product designators. The distinction is an important one to make, as only newer components are capable of taking advantage of certain Bluetooth 4.2 features, specifically increases in data transfer speed.
AppleInsider reached out to Apple for clarification and will update this article when a response is received.
Bluetooth Core Specification 4.2 is well-suited for low-power connectivity solutions, especially Internet of Things devices, as it integrates the advanced IPv6/6LoWPAN Internet protocol, according to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. Compared to previous versions, the latest spec offers speed boosts, higher efficiency and improved security.
Apple's iPad comparison chart (above) and iPad Air 2 specifications page as they appeared on Sept. 9.
As seen in the screenshots above, captured by AppleInsider reader Matthew on the day Apple unveiled its fall product lineup, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iPad Air 2 are listed as supporting the new Bluetooth 4.2 standard. At the time, detailed product pages dedicated to those three devices did not reflect such a change, instead listing compatibility with Bluetooth 4.0, causing some confusion as to actual product capabilities.
Apple has since updated its tech specs pages for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iPad Air 2 to indicate support for Bluetooth 4.2. Interestingly, each product retains its original model number, suggesting Apple either modified the Bluetooth stack in iOS 9 or built in new chips without changing product designators. The distinction is an important one to make, as only newer components are capable of taking advantage of certain Bluetooth 4.2 features, specifically increases in data transfer speed.
AppleInsider reached out to Apple for clarification and will update this article when a response is received.
Bluetooth Core Specification 4.2 is well-suited for low-power connectivity solutions, especially Internet of Things devices, as it integrates the advanced IPv6/6LoWPAN Internet protocol, according to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. Compared to previous versions, the latest spec offers speed boosts, higher efficiency and improved security.
Comments
This has happened before, with wireless N, I think it was...
Yeah, Apple charged $5 to enable it initially.
My 3-year-old Alpine deck in my car as gone from being completely awesome to completely frustrating. With iOS 6 and 7, I'd jump in my car and the phone and deck would connect instantly. With iOS 9 now, I'm the guy in the parking lot with the engine running taking about 5-10 minutes to get the two devices to communicate.
My favorite is when Play/Pause are out-of-sync: the iPhone shows the song being paused and the deck says Play. Whichever device you toggle, the other device does the opposite! I have to turn off the deck and close out all music apps on the iPhone.
Alpine has offered one firmware update in the 5 years the deck has been available. Apple has provided billions of updates in the same time period. Things don't mesh so well.
Apple shipped the devices with the N capable hardware installed, and then tried to charge five bucks to enable the higher speeds after specification was officially ratified. Not surprisingly, there was serious backlash and the firmware update was made free after about a month. This is different. 4.2 requires newer hardware not present in these products previously. You could enable certain aspects of the 4.2 spec with a firmware update, but it would never be fully compatible.
1) $1.99.
2) A nominal fee was required for legal reasons, not because of your ridiculous theory that Apple was nickel-and-diming their customers. A rational person would realize that $1.99 isn't going to affect Apple's bank, but getting customers to buy new Macs with 802.11n as a feature would. Of course, being rational, fair, or objective isn't something you've ever considered.
Bollocks, Apple charged that same fee internationally, the rubbish US law doesn't have anything to do with them charging the fee internationally
Charging the same nominal fee was simply being fair, which is something you and Cash907 may want to consider in the future, instead of letting an irrational hatred for Apple rule your responses.
Additionally, the price wasn't dropped a month later, and you're an idiot if you think Apple is making billions from selling the firmware upgrade over getting people to buy new Macs.
You are showing your ignorance. Let it go.
No, the vast majority of my Apple purchased have been non-US, they must abide to the laws in those countries, and accounting laws of the holding company, which in most of the world is Apple Ireland (which that law doesn't apply).
Also, if Apple has to abide by it, how come no other company was as anal about it?
Yes, I hate Apple so much, I cry every time I reply to someone using my Mac
I didn't say the price dropped a month later, in fact I don't think they dropped the price until well after the update came in a new OS X version. So stop with your hatred of everyone and refer to the right person.
Charging the same nominal fee was simply being fair
That's absurd. Apple do not charge the same amount for their products around the world in numerous other instances. Apple offer giveaways and special deals in some countries and not other. Apple do not top up the sales tax on all products to the maximum legally required in any one country for the sake of "fairness".
Bollocks it had anything to do with fairness. Apple do not care about fairness across country borders.
Agreed. I happened to compare the prices for an entry level iPhone 6s in Switzerland and the USA and see that the device costs 18% more in Switzerland. I can't account for most of the disparity (given sales tax differences account for a few to about 8%.)
It says Bluetooth 4.2. May be it is just a software update.
It's likely like Wireless-N. You could update the driver/software to enable Wireless-N on several Wireless-G devices but it only gives you N on the 2.4Ghz band.
With Bluetooth this sounds like the same kind of thing, where it's enabling 4.2 features on 4.0 radios.
I think this also affected a very early iOS upgrade where iPod owners had to pay extra? (I know it wasn't called iOS then.)
No, they do, but if you're not willing to consider current and predicted fluctuations in exchange rates, a VAT, import tariffs, HW and licensing fee requirements, or 3rd-party retailers in your assessment it's not surprising that you're understand what is going on.