Bluetooth LE
(LE)
A newer version of the Bluetooth radio protocol that is designed to be more power-efficient and more flexible.
See: Bluetooth
Bluetooth LE was introduced with Bluetooth 4.0. Most phones that support Bluetooth 4.0 or higher support both Bluetooth LE and the original radio standard (BR/EDR, or Bluetooth Classic).
Bluetooth LE is referred to as a different "radio" compared to Bluetooth Classic, but it uses the same radio frequency band (2.4 GHz), and therefore the same antenna in a device that supports both radio standards.
Initially, Bluetooth LE was designed for very power-constrained devices such as standalone sensor and beacon devices with a small battery that might only be charged or replaced annually. It has since expanded to be used for a growing proportion of Bluetooth devices. With the introduction of LE Audio in 2020, Bluetooth LE will be the default Bluetooth radio standard for the majority of Bluetooth devices from 2021 onward.
See: LE Audio
While Classic Bluetooth is designed only for one-to-one (point-to-point) connections, Bluetooth LE also natively supports one-to-many (broadcast) and many-to-many (mesh) connections.
Last updated Jan 16, 2020 by Rich Brome
Editor in Chief Rich became fascinated with cell phones in 1999, creating mobile web sites for phones with tiny black-and-white displays and obsessing over new phone models. Realizing a need for better info about phones, he started Phone Scoop in 2001, and has been helming the site ever since. Rich has spent two decades researching and covering every detail of the phone industry, traveling the world to tour factories, interview CEOs, and get every last spec and photo Phone Scoop readers have come to expect. As an industry veteran, Rich is a respected voice on phone technology of the past, present, and future.
