What is the difference between Bluetooth Classic and BTLE on Zebra Printers?
Applicable To
All Zebra Link-OS Printers
Resolution / Answer
BTLE, also referred to as Bluetooth Low Energy, Bluetooth LE or Bluetooth Smart, is a new communication protocol that has been added to the Bluetooth (BT) 4.0 specification. BTLE is intended to provide a low power use, low-speed alternative to Bluetooth Classic. However, the BTLE specification requires that devices transfer data at significantly slower rates than those using Bluetooth Classic. Given this, the BTLE protocol is best used for light-duty data transfer events like using the Zebra Mobile Setup Utility App for setup or configuration changes.
IMPORTANT! For sending print jobs like labels and receipts, it is recommended to use Bluetooth Classic.
Some Zebra printers can be purchased with either technology, while others can only be purchased with BTLE. Check the printer's description to find out which technology it is equipped with. If the description has BTLE in it, then it is equipped with a BTLE radio only. Your use case will determine which radio is right for you. If you plan to use Bluetooth only for setup and configuration, BTLE is the right technology. If planning to send print jobs, ensure it is equipped with Bluetooth Classic. If you have any questions, please reach out to your Zebra representative.
