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The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced plans to update Bluetooth wireless technology in 2016 to extend its range, enhance its speed, and enable mesh networking.

The upgrade is focused on enhancing Internet of Things (IoT) functionality, which is crucial for the smart home, location-based services, and other fast-growing sectors, according to SIG.

Under the plan, the details of which were announced in a press release, the range of Bluetooth Smart is set to increase up to four times, which “will transform smart home and infrastructure applications and deliver an extended, more robust connection” for use throughout the home and outdoors. Speed will increase 100 percent, without increasing energy consumption, enabling faster data transfers, increased responsiveness, and lower latency. And mesh networking will enable Bluetooth devices to connect together in networks that can cover an entire building or home.

“There is significant demand from our members and the industry at large to enhance Bluetooth with the new capabilities,” said Toby Nixon, chairman of the Bluetooth SIG Board of Directors. “Current projections put the market potential for IoT between $2 and $11.1 trillion by 2025. The technical updates planned for Bluetooth technology in 2016 will help make these expectations a reality and accelerate growth in IoT.”

The organization said additional features and profile updates contained in SIG’s 2016 roadmap will be previewed in the coming months.