HTC's flagship smartphone, the HTC U11, was announced in May this year and the handset was expected to debut with Bluetooth 5.0. Some market observers believed that the smartphone would become one of the first ever smartphones to feature Bluetooth 5.0 support at launch. However, the same did not happen due to some unknown last minute issues, which led HTC to debut the HTC U11 with the older Bluetooth 4.2 version onboard, instead of the newer one. Now, it seems the company is finally planning on adding the support to its flagship devices through a software update.
Bluetooth 5.0 update coming to HTC U11?
The rumor arises from the FCC listing in which HTC has claimed that it would soon be introducing the Bluetooth 5.0 to all HTC U11 devices through a software update. This is one of the most advantageous aspects of the technology today. Companies can make additions and changes through software updates, without resorting to updating individual hardware of the smartphones. However, these update can be applied effectively only if the hardware supports it.
In this case the, the HTC U11 was built to work with the Bluetooth 5.0 systems. The FCC filing asks for permission to launch the software update in these handsets, without changing any other aspect of the devices in question.
So, if one is looking to purchase the handset or already owns one, they will likely receive the new update for Bluetooth 5.0 in some time.
After the update rolls out, the HTC U11 will become only the third smartphone to feature the new Bluetooth connectivity. Apart from the HTC flagship, Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are the only two other devices to have been fitted with the latest technology when it launched earlier in April this year.
The update is expected to bring in some major improvements in the Bluetooth capabilities of the device.
Improvements in Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0 will bring better transmission speeds over the network, which is important in case of sending large files from one device to the other. The new version will also effectively decrease the power usage of the phone while the Bluetooth is activated and is sending data to another device.
However, one of the most important features in the longer range in which the Bluetooth can send data over. Meaning, that the two devices exchanging data will no longer need to be at such a close proximity, as was required for the older versions of Bluetooth.
Unfortunately, HTC did not reveal the time when it would be rolling out this update for its devices. However, HTC U11 owners should keep a look out for it. The update will most likely arrive soon.
