The WiFi Alliance today said much faster WiFi is coming to smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other gear starting next year. The organization announced the WiFi Certified WiGig program, which will ensure compatibility between various WiFi technologies. WiGig operates in the 60 GHz band and allows for multi-gigabit speeds (up to 8Gbps) over shorter distances. The Certified WiGig program will allow WiGig equipment to work smoothly with other WiFi gear that operates in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, allowing for seamless handoffs between them. WiGig relies on beamforming to minimize interference and operates at distances up to 10 meters (33 feet). The WiFi Alliance says WiGig is ideal for in-room and other line-of-sight use cases such as virtual reality, gaming, and multimedia streaming. For example, WiGig would allow people to download an HD movie wirelessly in several seconds. The organization has already approved a handful of WiGig devices for testing purposes, including a Dell laptop, Intel modem, Peraso USB modem, Qualcomm WiFi router, and Socionext reference adapter. The WiFi Alliances says WiGig radios will appear in mobile devices next year, and expects half of all smartphones to include the technology by 2021.


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