Intel plans to introduce next-generation wireless networking technology – Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) – in devices by 2024, according to ETNews.
Wi-Fi 7 is the successor to Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), which leverages the high-performance 5GHz and 6GHz bands to deliver 2x the data throughput (5.8Gbps) and support data processing speeds of up to 36 Gbps.
Intel plans to accelerate its Wi-Fi 7 development efforts before bringing it to market in 2024, and intends to apply its technology to laptops and then expand to other devices.
“We are currently developing Intel’s Wi-Fi ‘802.11be’ for certification by the Wi-Fi Alliance for use in PC products such as notebooks by 2024. products such as laptops by 2024. We expect it to be in major markets in 2025,” said Eric McLaughlin, vice president of Intel’s Wireless Solutions Division.
“Wi-Fi 7 almost doubles the bandwidth of the 802.11ax (170 MHz) frequency (320 MHz), resulting in double the speed of Wi-Fi. With more than a year to go before 802.11be is released, there is still an opportunity for us to further increase its processing speed,” he added.
Intel predicts that the use of Wi-Fi 7 will expand. It will strengthen its penetration of the Wi-Fi market by expanding product applications through advanced technologies such as high-end gaming, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and robotics.
In addition, Qualcomm, Broadcom and MediaTek are also preparing Wi-Fi 7-based products. “Intel will build strong partnerships with multiple global companies and partners to deliver Wi-Fi 7 for more products,” McLaughlin said.
Apple, meanwhile, is on the cusp of a Wi-Fi 6E transition. At one point last year there were rumors that Apple would introduce the technology for the iPhone 13 series, but Apple has yet to actually release any Wi-Fi 6E-enabled devices.
However, current rumors suggest that this year’s iPhone 14 series will be equipped with Qualcomm’s latest X65 modem, which supports up to 10Gbps 10GbE speeds.
Snapdragon X65 is the world’s first 5G modem-to-antenna solution that meets the 3GPP Release 16 5G specification, supports major frequency bands in different regions of the world, and is the world’s first 10Gbps 5G baseband, which also has a scalable architecture.
In addition, the long-rumored Apple AR/VR headset is also expected to support Wi-Fi 6E, and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple will launch Wi-Fi 6/6E, Wi-Fi 6E/7 and Wi-Fi 7-enabled headset displays in 2022, 2023 and 2024, but there appears to be a delay.
