Intel to introduce Wi-Fi 7 in 2024 as Apple plans to move to Wi-Fi 6E
Wi-Fi 7 is the successor to Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), which brings a twice as fast data processing speed of 5.8 Gbps and a more stable 6 GHz bandwidth stability, while supporting up to 36 Gbps when working with data. Intel plans to expand Wi-Fi 7 development efforts before bringing it to market in 2024, and intends to apply its technology primarily to laptops before expanding to other devices.
“We are currently developing Intel’s Wi-Fi ‘802.11be’ to obtain ‘Wi-Fi Alliance’ certification and it will be installed in PC products such as laptops by 2024. We expect it to appear in major markets in 2025.”, Intel’s Wireless Solutions Eric McLaughlin, the division’s vice president, said at a recent press conference in Asia.
“Wi-Fi 7 doubles the frequency bandwidth of 802.11ax (170 MHz) to 320 MHz and doubles the speed of Wi-Fi. With more than a year to go before the release of 802.11be, there’s still room for improvement,” he said. He continued.
Meanwhile, Apple is on the verge of switching its devices to Wi-Fi 6E. While it was heavily rumored to debut with the iPhone 13 lineup last year, Apple has yet to release any devices with support for Wi-Fi 6E. That is expected to change starting with the iPhone 14 this year.
Apple’s long-rumored mixed-reality headset is also expected to feature Wi-Fi 6E. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said head-mounted display devices will offer Wi-Fi 6/6E, Wi-Fi 6E/7, and Wi-Fi 7 in 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively, but it’s unclear if this information Specifically related to Apple’s product roadmap.
Wi-Fi 6E delivers the features and capabilities of Wi-Fi 6, including higher performance, lower latency and faster data rates, extending into the 6 GHz band for processing speeds of 2.4 Gbps. The additional spectrum provides more airspace beyond existing 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, resulting in increased bandwidth and less interference.
Last year, the FCC adopted rules making 1,200 MHz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band available for unlicensed use in the United States, paving the way for the introduction of new devices with Wi-Fi 6E support.
Along with Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom and MediaTek are also preparing to release Wi-Fi 7-based products.
