The History of Bluetooth - EOTO1 Reaction

Bluetooth has come a long way since its original invention in the mid-1990's. We now use bluetooth as a fundamental technology we use in our everyday lives. From headphones to projectors used in classrooms, it is easy to not appreciate the invention of bluetooth. 

Bluetooth's journey began in 1994 by Dr. Jaap Haartsen. Inspired by King Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson, a 10th-century Danish king known for uniting Denmark and Norway, the technology was named “Bluetooth” because of its mission to unify communication across devices. 

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) was founded in 1998 by major tech players like Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Nokia, and Toshiba. Bluetooth SIG set out to standardize this technology. By 1999, Bluetooth 1.0 was officially released, and suddenly, devices could “talk” to each other over short distances through low-power radio waves. This low-power requirement was a game changer, allowing small devices to maintain battery life while staying connected. 

As bluetooth technology advanced, new doors were opened. With the introduction of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) in 2010, which extended battery life and opened doors to more energy-efficient applications. Bluetooth's role grew from simple connections to powering a wide range of devices: wireless headphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and smart home gadgets.

Today, Bluetooth is used in our homes, our cars, in the workplace, and in schools. It has created an connection between all forms of technology.