Novel Bits logo

Novel Bits

Archives
Subscribe
May 22, 2026

Bluetooth 6.2 SCI + UWB hits Wi-Fi APs

Plus: $13 Qualcomm tri-radio EVK and Wi-Fi 7 + Channel Sounding module

 
This Week in Bluetooth & UWB
May 22, 2026
 
 
 
In This Issue
→ Sub-ms HID via Bluetooth ULL SCI
→ Qorvo brings UWB to Wi-Fi APs
→ Wi-Fi 7 + Channel Sounding module
→ $13 Qualcomm tri-radio EVK
→ Anthropic opens a Bluetooth API
 
 
 
BROUGHT TO YOU BY INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES
Infineon Technologies
Take Bluetooth LE throughput from ~170 kbps to ~960 kbps on real Infineon CYW920829 hardware. Hands-on labs in PHY selection, connection interval tuning, DLE, and MTU exchange. Free for developers, sponsored by Infineon.
Enroll in the free course →
 
 
Bluetooth LE
Bluetooth Core 6.2 SCI cuts connection intervals to 375μs
EE Times
It wasn’t until November 2025 that the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (Bluetooth SIG) officially released Bluetooth Core 6.2, marking the debut of the SCI (Shorter Connection Intervals) feature. ULL SCI is a major upgrade to Bluetooth ULL technology. Its core lies in optimizing the timing parameters of Bluetooth LE ACL (Asynchronous Connection-Oriented), reducing the traditional minimum connection interval of 7.5ms to 375μs, thereby significantly increasing the frequency of data exchange.
VoxMicro AireTos C27: a Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 6.0 module with Channel Sounding
VoxMicro / EIN Presswire
VOXMICRO today released the AIRETOS C27 Class, an industrial Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0 wireless module powered by the Qualcomm FastConnect C7700 Connectivity System. The AIRETOS C27 is built on the Qualcomm FastConnect C7700 silicon foundation that supports Bluetooth 6.0 with Bluetooth Channel Sounding and Bluetooth LE Long Range (Coded PHY). Channel Sounding enables sub-meter ranging between Bluetooth-enabled devices, and Bluetooth LE Long Range extends connectivity across distances that previously required a dedicated long-range radio.
$13 Qualcomm QCC74xM EVK offers Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and 802.15.4 connectivity
CNX-Software
The Qualcomm QCC74xM EVK is a tri-radio evaluation board with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and IEEE 802.15.4 (Thread/Zigbee) with a price tag of just over $13. The official development boards for the QCC74x series have finally been released. What is interesting is that, while it carries the Qualcomm brand, documentation from the Zephyr Project clearly shows that the QCC74x series is actually based on and mostly equivalent to the Bouffalo Lab BL61x series, specifically the BL618.
Anthropic opens a Bluetooth LE API for ESP32 desk companions
CNX-Software
Anthropic has opened its Claude Hardware Interface (Bluetooth API) to developers, enabling an ESP32-S3-based desk companion to connect directly to the Claude desktop app over Bluetooth Low Energy. To demonstrate this new feature, the company released an open-source reference project called Claude Desktop Buddy. It currently runs on the M5StickC Plus (an ESP32-based board from M5Stack, about $30 on AliExpress and Amazon) and works as a small interactive hardware companion for Claude.
Auracast is the next WiFi
Forbes
Auracast is a Bluetooth LE Audio broadcast standard that allows a single audio source to stream simultaneously to an unlimited number of compatible devices, including hearing aids, earbuds, headphones, smartphones, and televisions. When the Bluetooth SIG first showcased Auracast, the vision centered around airports, theaters, stadiums, and other large public venues. However, it also unintentionally created the perception that Auracast requires massive infrastructure projects, years of planning, and significant capital investment. The technology is modular, scalable, and compatible with existing sound systems.
 
 
Ultra-Wideband (UWB)
Qorvo transforms enterprise Wi-Fi access points into scalable UWB RTLS infrastructure
Qorvo / NewsWireToday
Qorvo today announced a major step forward in making Ultra-Wideband (UWB) real-time location systems (RTLS) deployable at enterprise scale. By combining industry standards including FiRa and Omlox with integration into Wi-Fi enterprise access points (EAPs), Qorvo enables precise, real-time location services without the need for dedicated RTLS infrastructure. At the core of this ecosystem is Qorvo’s new QPK3000 module, designed for tags and end devices.
UWB was supposed to fix Bluetooth trackers, but Android is ignoring it on purpose
How-To Geek
Bluetooth trackers are useful, but for situations where you need precise location tracking, Ultra Wideband (UWB) comes to the rescue. It’s a technology found in AirTags and some other trackers that greatly improves tracking precision, but there’s a catch. If you’re on Android, chances are your phone doesn’t support UWB in the first place, and even if it does, you’re limited to just a few UWB trackers.
 
 
P.S. The new Bluetooth Core 6.2 SCI feature pushes connection intervals down to 375μs, which is exactly the kind of tuning lever this week’s sponsored course works with. If you’ve started measuring throughput on real hardware, reply and tell me what bottleneck you ran into first. I’d love to hear it.
— Mohammad Afaneh
Don't miss what's next. Subscribe to Novel Bits:
← Newer ST introduces first 802.15.4ab UWB device Older → What surprised me about always-on voice on the Axon NPU
novelbits.io
learn.novelbits.io
LinkedIn