Development and licensing of the Bluetooth specs are the responsibility of the , a trade association that consists of companies in various industries, including telecommunications, computing, automotive, and networking.

Bluetooth version 4.0: Products supporting this spec will enable very low battery use. The new specification will greatly affect low-tech gizmos, such as watches and pedometers, that run on button batteries and are designed to last for years. Computers, phones, cameras, and headsets, on the other hand, are on the high-power end of the Bluetooth spectrum.

Bluetooth version 3.0 + HS (High Speed, as in higher data rates): This spec will clamp onto a Wi-Fi signal when handling larger chunks of data, so you can download scads of photos or synchronize your music library, for instance. It also promises to give you longer battery life, better security, and beefed-up power control. This should result in fewer instances of dropped connections in Bluetooth headsets and in-car speakerphones, for example.

Bluetooth version 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate): This version of Bluetooth offers beefed-up security, and it's designed to let you breeze through the pairing process without the need to enter a PIN. All you have to do is turn on the headset and then select 'Add Headset' from your phone's menu; your phone and headset will find each other and connect through an encrypted link.

Bluetooth version 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate): Version 2.0 (released in 2004) requires you to go through a multistep procedure to pair a headset with a phone. With the headset turned on, your phone must search for and recognize the headset; and then to connect to it, you have to punch in a passkey (typically four zeros).