This Week in Bluetooth & UWB

Apr 03, 2026

In This Issue

→ Nordic's $1/device lifetime FOTA
→ Telink's dual-core BT 6.0 MCU
→ Rivian: 18 months on digital keys
→ Huawei's Bluetooth rival rises
→ FiRa holds first UWB Plugfest

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Nordic Semiconductor launches lifetime flat-rate FOTA solution

Electronics360

Nordic Semiconductor has announced a significant step in preparing customers for the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), with nRF Cloud now offering a one-time, upfront, lifetime FOTA and device management license. According to the CRA, manufacturers deploying connected devices on the European market must provide security updates for identified vulnerabilities throughout each device's lifetime, starting in 2027. The offering is now available for all Nordic nRF54, nRF53, and nRF52 series Bluetooth LE SoCs, as well as nRF91 series cellular IoT modules. Pricing starts at $1 per device.

Telink TL3228: dual-core RISC-V wireless MCU with Bluetooth 6.0

CNX Software

Telink has launched the TL322x wireless MCU family, starting with the TL3228, featuring a 192 MHz dual-core RISC-V MCU. The chip supports the recent Bluetooth features such as Channel Sounding, AoA/AoD, and LE Audio, as well as the company's proprietary HDT technology. Rx sensitivity is -99 dBm at Bluetooth LE 1 Mbps. Power consumption is 3.8 mA (DCDC) in Rx mode and 0.7 µA in deep sleep mode without SRAM retention.

Rivian sees “a ton of opportunity” in digital key tech

Automotive World

Systems generally draw on three foundational wireless technologies, each supporting different use cases: near field communication (NFC) for tap-to-lock, unlock and start; Bluetooth LE for remote keyless entry; and ultra-wide band (UWB) with Bluetooth LE for secure, precise pass of entry and start. Rivian had originally launched its own proprietary digital access solution but later migrated to use the CCC Digital Key standard, spending more than 18 months on the implementation. In 2025, 115 automotive brands received CCC certification, up from two in 2024.

Holyiot's Inkcard-A1 integrates Nordic's nRF54L15 for access control

Nordic Semiconductor

Holyiot has announced a Bluetooth LE-powered e-ink smart badge, designed for a wide range of access control and identity verification use cases. The Inkcard-A1 smart badge employs Nordic Semiconductor's nRF54L15 SoC that doubles the processing power and triples the processing efficiency of the previous generation of SoCs. The card can show images, text, QR codes or barcodes on its 50.8 by 76.2 mm color display, programmed wirelessly via an iOS or Android companion app and uploaded in less than 6 seconds.

Silicon Labs and BANF introduce in-tire Bluetooth LE sensor platform

Yahoo Finance

The platform is powered by the company's ultra-low-power BG22 Bluetooth LE SoC. The BG22 is mounted inside the tire and captures 3-axis acceleration, pressure, temperature, and tread depth at 4 kHz. The real-time data from the sensor is filtered into alerts for wheel-nut loosening, slip events, or low friction, slashing data load and boosting response speed.

Espressif ESP32-H21: lower-power Thread and Bluetooth LE connectivity

Dataweek

Espressif has released the ESP32-H21, a low-power wireless SoC aimed at Thread, Matter, Zigbee, and Bluetooth LE device designs. The new device adds an on-chip DC-DC converter, with RX active current at approximately 8.2 mA, light-sleep at 9 µA, and deep-sleep at 5 µA.

Android 17 Beta 3 adds Bluetooth LE Audio hearing aid support

Business Standard

A new device category allows apps to distinguish hearing aids from generic LE Audio headsets, enabling tailored UI iconography. Users can independently route system sounds (notifications, ringtones, alarms) to either connected hearing aids or the device speaker. This is handled at the system level and requires no API changes.

Synaptics SYN765x: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and edge AI in one chip

Semiconductor Engineering

The SYN765x solution integrates Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and embedded AI compute into a single solution. The result: faster decision-making, reduced system complexity, and built-in security, bringing real-time intelligence directly into the home. The Synaptics Astra SR80 family is designed for always-on, low-power intelligence, delivering adaptive, personalized audio experiences.

Powering smarter asset tracking with thin cell technology

Eureka Magazine

Thin Cells, manufactured in ultra-thin pouch formats as low as 1.1 mm, offer a compact and flexible power solution for next-generation asset-tracking devices. They can be integrated into compact tracking devices, smart labels and embedded systems without adding bulk or weight.

Your phone's Bluetooth is broadcasting more than you think

MakeUseOf

Bluetooth keeps broadcasting small packets of data containing the device Bluetooth name, a MAC address for unique device identification, Bluetooth profiles supported by your device. An iPhone 10 broadcast 872 times per minute, a MacBook Pro broadcast 576 times, and a Google Pixel 5 broadcast 510 times. Retailers and venues have used Bluetooth beacons for years to log when you pass through certain areas, building an idea of footfall, dwell time, and movement patterns.

When the World Stops Syncing

POLITICO

The global trade war that Donald Trump launched one year ago didn't just temporarily raise tariffs. It may have also broken the global system that lets technologies like Bluetooth work everywhere. The first Trump administration's 2019 decision to add Huawei to a U.S. Commerce Department list restricting access to American technology prompted multiple international bodies to temporarily suspend the company, including the Bluetooth SIG. In response, Huawei began work on their own rival wireless technology, called NearLink, that could come to replace Bluetooth as well as WiFi in the country.

SPARK Microsystems raises C$17M for LE-UWB commercialization

Pulse 2.0

SPARK Microsystems announced it has closed a C$17 million Series B follow-on financing round to accelerate commercialization of its next-generation wireless technology. Its proprietary LE-UWB technology is positioned as an alternative to traditional wireless standards, offering improvements in power efficiency, latency, throughput, and reliability in complex radio environments.

FiRa holds first-ever UWB Plugfest, hosted by Qualcomm

FiRa Consortium

FiRa Plugfest #1 marks an important step forward for ultra-wideband (UWB) interoperability. Plugfest #1 provides FiRa members with the opportunity to conduct pairwise interoperability testing across adopted specifications, validate implementations, and strengthen product readiness. By hosting the event in San Diego, Qualcomm Technologies is creating an environment for real-world validation and shared technical learning that strengthens the entire UWB ecosystem.