The iPhone 18 Pro supports Bluetooth 6 through Apple’s N1 wireless chip, the same chip that handles Wi-Fi 7 and Thread. Apple confirmed the version number in its press release and said nothing more about it.
The new Bluetooth version arrived on the same day as AirPods 5, which start at $129, but Apple’s AirPods release does not say which Bluetooth version the earbuds use. The rest of the iPhone’s wireless package is covered in our story on the iPhone 18 Pro announcement.
What Bluetooth 6 adds on paper
The Bluetooth 6 specification’s best-known addition is Channel Sounding, a way for two devices to measure the distance between them more precisely than signal strength alone allows. The specification also includes refinements to how devices scan for and filter nearby accessories.
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Apple has not said which Bluetooth 6 features the iPhone 18 Pro implements. Support for a version number does not mean every optional feature in that version is switched on, and Apple’s release makes no claims beyond the number itself.
What Bluetooth 6 means for AirPods 5
AirPods 5 bring Active Noise Cancellation to Apple’s open-ear design, hands-free Siri AI, head-gesture replies, Live Translation and, on the $149 Wireless Charging Case model, swipe volume control. None of these are described by Apple as depending on Bluetooth 6.
| AirPods 5 feature | Requirement Apple stated |
|---|---|
| Hands-free Siri AI | iOS 27 and an Apple Intelligence iPhone |
| Live Translation | Apple has not specified |
| Head-gesture replies | Apple has not specified |
| Active Noise Cancellation | None stated |
| Swipe volume control | Wireless Charging Case model only |
The requirements Apple did state point to software and Apple Intelligence rather than a Bluetooth version. Apple has not said whether AirPods 5 gain any feature only when paired with an iPhone 18 Pro.
That matches the pre-event reporting, which focused on noise cancellation and battery rather than connectivity. Our roundup of AirPods 5 rumors before the event shows how close the expectations landed.
What it means for other accessories
Bluetooth versions are backward compatible, so existing headphones, keyboards, controllers and trackers will connect to the iPhone 18 Pro as they do today. A Bluetooth 6 phone talking to an older accessory uses the features both sides share.
Where Bluetooth 6 could matter is with accessories that also support it, since distance measurement lends itself to finding lost items or unlocking based on proximity. That is analysis on our part. Apple has not announced any feature built on Channel Sounding for the iPhone 18 Pro, AirPods 5 or any other product.
AirPods 5 pre-orders are open now, with in-store availability on Friday, September 18. iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders begin Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. PT ahead of the same September 18 date, and our guide to iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders has the details.
