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The Bluetooth story

In the 1990s engineers in Lund, Sweden invented Bluetooth. But why did they decide to name their new wireless technology after a Viking king?

In the 1990s, Bluetooth was invented in a lab in Lund, Sweden.

The technology is used today to wirelessly connect accessories such as mice, keyboards, speakers and headphones to desktops, laptops and mobile phones.

It’s named after Harald Bluetooth, a Viking king who was said to have blue teeth.

Sven Mattisson, one of the brains behind the technology, tells Gill Kearsley how the name Bluetooth came about following some drinks after a conference.

(Photo: A mobile phone with the Bluetooth logo. Credit: Westend61 via Getty images)

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9 minutes

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Sun 15 Sep 202416:00GMT
BBC Radio 4

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