Bluetooth 6 backwards compatibility

Apple’s new iPhone 17 lineup introduces Bluetooth 6 powered by the Apple N1 chip… but does it really fix the problems we’ve had with Bluetooth for decades? In the words of Zoe Kravitz on ‪@SubwayTakes‬ , bluetooth doesn't work. But why? In this video, we break down why backwards compatibility has always held Bluetooth back, what’s actually new in Bluetooth 6, and whether your iPhone 17 will finally deliver a better wireless experience.

Since its launch in 1999 with a simple hands-free headset, Bluetooth has had to work with decades of devices: cars expected to last 10 years, old headsets, and countless accessories. That legacy support means the standard has been slow to evolve, leaving users frustrated. Apple claims Bluetooth 6 will make it easier to find lost AirPods and improve reliability, but there’s a catch: unless all your devices are also running Bluetooth 6, you won’t see much benefit. And while Apple promotes Bluetooth upgrades, it often sidesteps limitations with proprietary tricks like Wi-Fi Direct handoffs to make things “just work.”

Software-based networking solutions like Speedify face similar backwards-compatibility challenges, but because Speedify is entirely software-driven, it doesn’t get locked down by decades of hardware limitations the way Bluetooth does.

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