Bluetooth Core 7.0 adds optional HDT feature, raising Bluetooth LE speeds to 7.5 Mbps

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), which oversees the wireless standard, has formally adopted Bluetooth High Data Throughput (HDT) as an optional feature in Bluetooth Core 7.0. The upgrade raises Bluetooth LE’s maximum supported bit rate from 2 Mbps to 7.5 Mbps.

HDT is primarily intended for wireless audio. It can support higher-resolution audio, spatial audio and multichannel surround sound without proprietary wireless formats. The Bluetooth SIG has been previewing the feature over the past year, and the first devices supporting it are expected sometime in 2027.

The higher data rate could also benefit smartwatches, spatial computing and extended reality devices, and personal AI devices. Smartwatches could sync more training, health and fitness data to a phone while keeping battery use steady, because transfers would take less time and the Bluetooth radio could be active for shorter periods. HDT could also help spatial computing and extended reality devices deliver more robust experiences without Wi-Fi, and let personal AI devices hand off data to a smartphone more efficiently.

Faster transfers could make firmware updates for smartwatches and smart home accessories quicker, too. Bluetooth SIG CEO Neville Meijers said HDT expands Bluetooth’s role across consumer, commercial and industrial markets.