bluetooth 5 support

[stifler86]

Hello! Do you have any plans to modern esp32 (or maybe new chip) for working with bluetooth 5 (I mean long range with less speed)?

[madscientist_42]

Hello! Do you have any plans to modern esp32 (or maybe new chip) for working with bluetooth 5 (I mean long range with less speed)?

It'd probably be a new chip. I don't think CEVA's IP (which is where the Bluetooth functionality comes from) supports the needed pieces of 5, based on my understanding of the same. Most of the stuff from Nordic and others will be new silicon as well for 5, and this was from interactions WITH some of their FAE reps. There's a new modulation needing to be supported that goes to 2Mbits/sec OTA in the 2 MHz channel slots for BLE and a few other things that a 4.2 compliant modem won't be able to do without a re-spin of silicon.

[stifler86]

Thanks for detail explanation. What do you think about time of release new chip with bluetooth 5 supporting from espressif? 1-2 years?

[madscientist_42]

Thanks for detail explanation. What do you think about time of release new chip with bluetooth 5 supporting from espressif? 1-2 years?

Since I'm an independent security researcher and consultant for a lot of companies, I won't speak for Espressif directly on their roadmap.

I'm suspecting they're like everyone else. They're seeing how this goes and making appropriate plans. For the most part, many in the IoT space won't be ready for the long-range features until a year out. Heck, I don't even think Nordic or TI's got silicon OUT except for their favored partners- and I don't consult right at the moment for that player that gave me access to those companies' ears. Me? I'm liking a lot of what I'm seeing so far with the ESP32. Nifty little chip, to be honest, with a LOT of swiss army knife type functionality that actually IS valid to claim