Debuting in 2015: Blistering fast Wi-Fi at 5x Today's new Speeds
Apple's new iPhone 6 comes with the next generation Wi-Fi that could deliver speeds up to 3 times faster than the previous generation when used with the new AirPort Extreme or equivalent device. We don't even have time to really appreciate this recent leap when news of the next gigantic leap is already being announced. The next generation 802.11ad standard is reportedly up to 5 times faster than the newly released 802.11ac and could make it to market as soon as next year.
A new report published this morning states that the next generation wireless communications method will be using the 60GHz frequency band which will be able to deliver download speeds of up to 4.6Gbps or 575MB per second, which is a five-fold increase from the 866Mbps, or 108MB per second currently used in smartphones.
The new method enables users to send unzipped high-definition videos in real time from mobile devices to TVs and to relay a 1GB movie between devices in less than 3 seconds. This speed is almost the same as that needed to transfer files using a USB 3.0 flash drive inserted into a PC.
Currently, wireless LAN services cannot offer fast connection speeds when there are a large number of users in the immediate vicinity, stemming from radio-frequency interference. The strength of the newly-developed technique lies in little radio-frequency interference, as it utilizes the 60GHz frequency band instead of 2.4GHz or 5GHz.
Previously, 60 GHz was difficult to commercialize owing to its tendency to move directly, lose signal over long distances, and fail to penetrate structures.
Samsung explained that it is now possible to commercialize 60GHz WiFi by developing communications antennas and utilizing microwave circuit design and high-function modem techniques.
Samsung stressed that they were able to improve the quality of 60 GHz Wi-Fi through its development of a technique that allows dozens of devices to connect simultaneously to a network, and a micro beam-forming control technology that optimizes a communications environment in less than 1/3,000th of a second.
Though technically "beam-forming" has always been a part of the coming standard and not unique to Samsung. The standard notes that "Support for beamforming, enabling robust communication at distances beyond 10 meters. The beams can move within the coverage area through modification of the transmission phase of individual antenna elements, which is called phase array antenna beamforming.
The electronics industry anticipates that a wireless LAN standard (802.11ad) using the 60GHz frequency band will be introduced as early as next year. The Wi-Fi Alliance has already stated that its certification program is currently under development and should be ready sometime next year. Apple is a member of the Wi-Fi Alliance. For more on this coming standard, click here.
While it's far too early to speculate whether Apple's 2015 iDevices will support the new standard, we can be assured that Apple will be one of the first to adopt this it when it's ready for primetime.
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