Apple has become a promoting member of the Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group) alongside existing promoters Ericsson, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, Nokia, and Toshiba, giving the company the ability to vote on Bluetooth SIG corporate matters and allowing the iPhone maker to hold a continual seat on the SIG Board of Directors.

bluetooth

“Apple has long been a key participant in the Bluetooth ecosystem,” said Toby Nixon, chairman of the Bluetooth SIG Board of Directors. “Since 2011, the company has provided guidance and knowledge to the Bluetooth SIG through its participation as an Associate Board Member. We’re excited to welcome Apple to its new role in the organization and on the SIG board.”

Bluetooth SIG provides companies with the opportunity to influence the direction of Bluetooth technology, with promoter members having greater input towards the strategic and technological directions of Bluetooth. Apple uses Bluetooth in a number of products and services ranging from Mac, iPhone and iPad to AirDrop, Continuity and Handoff.

Top Rated Comments

Benjamin Frost Avatar
137 months ago
I find Bluetooth long in the tooth.

Wake me up when it becomes reliable.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2457282 Avatar
137 months ago
i feel like the only problems i have with bluetooth are third party integration/outdated drivers (firmware?) for accessories (looking at YOU Bose - please stop launching my iTunes when your amazing little soundlink sleeps).. otherwise nearly 100% otherwise. what do you experience?
i am with you on this. No issues with my keyboard or trackpad or speakers. I do think that if they can expand bluetooth's distance, that would be nice. I believe speakers now have the ability to do stereo over bluetooth (previously only mono) so we are good there. Not sure what else is needed to make it better, maybe transfer rate?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ScottHammet Avatar
137 months ago
i feel like the only problems i have with bluetooth are third party integration/outdated drivers (firmware?) for accessories (looking at YOU Bose - please stop launching my iTunes when your amazing little soundlink sleeps).. otherwise nearly 100% otherwise. what do you experience?
The transport protocol might be standardized (frame size, packet length, etc.), but the implementation methods seem to be the quirky part; i.e. how the APIs interface with the OS to expose the functionality. Even brand new devices have bugs/quirks that make them irritating from OS to OS. The Pebble watch is a great example...loses connectivity and often can't figure out how to reconnect. Also, every Plantronics headset. But my biggest gripe is the lack of Loss Prevention capability. In a corporate environment, Bluetooth isn't adequately protected by any major vendor (looking at you McAfee and Symantec) from being used to move data surreptitiously.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FoundAHalo Avatar
137 months ago
giving the iPhone maker sole voting class < what does that mean they are the only one who can vote ?
It means that Promoter Members (of which Apple has just become) are the only class of members that can vote.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Benjamin Frost Avatar
137 months ago
love sennheisser cans, never tried the BT ones tho - you recommend, even with the glitches you mentioned? (i listen to almost everything so i don't appreciate enhanced frequencies on either end)
The sound is very good, though they made my ears ache for the first few months; they're on-ear. They don't now, though.

They're called MM450-X. Good noise reduction. The sound is warmer than normal, but pretty balanced.

If I were to buy them now, I would go for the 550-X, which are over-ear.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rudy69 Avatar
137 months ago
I find Bluetooth long in the tooth.

Wake me up when it becomes reliable.
I find it works great for some things (mouse, keyboards etc) but other things it's hit or miss
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Apple John Ternus 2019

Will John Ternus Really Be Apple's Next CEO?

Friday December 5, 2025 9:01 am PST by
There is uncertainty about Apple's head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, The Information reports. Some former Apple executives apparently hope that a new "dark-horse" candidate will emerge. Ternus is considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cook as CEO. The report notes that he is more likely to become CEO than software head chief Craig Federighi, ...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...