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Bluetooth is a common wireless communication protocol used to connect two devices over relatively short distances
Almost all modern gadgets support Bluetooth as one of their basic functions. Due to its widespread use, many Android smartphone owners keep Bluetooth turned on at all times.
RBC-Ukraine tells you whether you need to turn off the Bluetooth connection if you are not using it.
Bluetooth is a common wireless communication protocol used to connect two devices over relatively short distances, such as connecting wireless headphones to an Android smartphone.
Is it safe to leave Bluetooth on?
Bluetooth technology is constantly improving, receiving new security standards and updates. Early versions are more vulnerable to hacker attacks, so the recommendation to turn off Bluetooth while it is inactive may be relevant on older phones where the Bluetooth version has not been updated for a long time.
All modern smartphones that have Bluetooth low energy (LE) modules have a much more advanced security system.
And although it is possible for attackers to access data on a phone via Bluetooth, it is extremely difficult to do so. It is important to understand that the hacker’s equipment must remain at a close distance (no more than 10 meters) from the victim’s phone for a long time. It is almost impossible to organize a mass attack in this way.
Thus, modern versions of Bluetooth are quite secure and regularly receive updates that correct and neutralize possible vulnerabilities. It is extremely difficult to find references on the Internet about real cases of device hacking via Bluetooth, so we can only conclude: Bluetooth on a smartphone can be left on if it is not in use.
Does Bluetooth drain your phone?
Another reason why users often want to turn off Bluetooth is the desire to save battery power on their smartphone. Like other wireless networks, Bluetooth can drain your mobile device, but it doesn’t do it as much as many people think.
If Bluetooth is actively working, for example, providing a connection with wireless headphones, then the charge reduction will be very small – less than 1.5 percent. In standby mode, Bluetooth will spend a little more – about 2 percent.
This difference is due to the fact that in idle mode, the network may periodically look for new devices to pair nearby, which requires more power than stable pairing with a single device.
A big breakthrough in saving battery power on a smartphone has been made by the new Bluetooth Low Energy standard. It is necessary for working with smart home devices and gadgets that require constant connection and transfer of information in real time (for example, fitness bracelets).
As a result of the introduction of Bluetooth LE, overall energy consumption was reduced by more than half, and constant connection to such gadgets will not drain the phone. Thus, turning on Bluetooth on a smartphone consumes a small percentage of the charge, so it cannot seriously drain the battery.
The only reason to turn off Bluetooth to save battery power is the extremely low percentage (less than 5 percent), which you need to stay at for a long time. In this situation, any additional waste of charge will matter.
Does Bluetooth affect human health?
As with the effects of Wi-Fi on human health, no evidence of serious negative effects of Bluetooth has yet been found. Moreover, talking on a Bluetooth headset can be even safer than talking on a smartphone.
If we are guided by the level of radiation from the phone and from headphones, then the radiation from the latter is much weaker due to lower power: most Bluetooth devices have a maximum power of 1 mW, and smartphones operate at a power of 1000 mW or 2000 mW when using 3G/4G.
conclusions
You can leave Bluetooth enabled on your smartphone if you update your phone software on time, which means you receive security patches that eliminate vulnerabilities in a timely manner. The older the Bluetooth version on your phone, the more chances hackers have to take advantage of its imperfections and security holes.
However, there is no evidence that Bluetooth can negatively affect human health, and its effect on the battery level of a smartphone is extremely insignificant.
