Bluetooth History | How the name Bluetooth Came

What is Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances (using short wavelength radio transmissions) from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks (PANs) with high levels of security. Created by telecoms vendorEricsson in 1994, it was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to RS-232 data cables. It can connect several devices, overcoming problems of synchronization.

Bluetooth is managed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, which has more than 14,000 member companies in the areas of telecommunication, computing, networking, and consumer electronics.

 

How the name Bluetooth Came

The developers of this wireless technology first used the name “Bluetooth” as a code name, but as time past, the name stuck.

The word “Bluetooth” is taken from the 10th century Danish King Harald Bluetooth. King Bluetooth had been influential in uniting Scandinavian Europe during an era when the region was torn apart by wars and feuding clans.

The founders of the Bluetooth SIG felt the name was fitting because:

1) Bluetooth technology was first developed in Scandinavia, and

2) Bluetooth technology is able to unite differing industries such as the cell phone, computing, and automotive markets. Bluetooth wireless technology simplifies and combines multiple forms of wireless communication into a single, secure, low-power, low-cost, globally available radio frequency.

 

Bluetooth Technology Over the Years

1998 – Bluetooth technology is officially introduced and the Bluetooth SIG is formed. Bluetooth technology’s intended basic purpose is to be a wire replacement technology in order to rapidly transfer voice and data.

1999 – Bluetooth 1.0 Specification is introduced.

2003 – The Bluetooth SIG overhauls the Bluetooth Core Specification with the announcement of Version 2.1.

2004 – Bluetooth Version 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) is introduced.

2005 – Devices using Version 2.0 + EDR begin to hit the market in late 2005.

2007 – Bluetooth Core Specification Version 2.1 + EDR is adopted by the Bluetooth SIG.

2009 – Bluetooth Core Specification Version 3.0 + HS (High Speed) is adopted by the Bluetooth SIG.

 

The Bluetooth Logo

Bluetooth_logo

 

 

A Scandinavian firm originally designed the logo at the time the SIG was formally introduced to the public. Keeping to the same origin as the Bluetooth name, the logo unites the Runic alphabetic characters “H”, which looks similar to an asterisk, and a “B”, which are the initials for Harald Bluetooth. If you look close enough you can see both embodied in the logo.