The Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA) on Monday announced the official launch of its ‘Wi-Fi Certified 6’ program, enabling OEMs and vendors to advertise their routers, laptops, smartphones and other client-side devices as compatible with the new standard. Based on the IEEE 802.11ax standard, the new technology provides the capacity, efficiency, coverage and performance required by today’s data-hungry devices, services and platforms.
In an official press release, the non-profit organization said Wi-Fi Certified 6 networks ensure each connected device performs at an optimum level. According to the WFA, “Wi-Fi Certified 6 devices meet the highest standards for security and interoperability, and enable lower battery consumption, making it a solid choice for any environment, including the Internet of Things (IoT)”.
Key benefits of Wi-Fi Certified 6 technology include higher data rates, increased capacity, lower latency, sustained performance with multiple connected devices and improved power efficiency, making it an overall better choice for IoT devices. “Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 provides the foundation for a host of current and emerging uses from streaming ultra high-definition movies, to mission-critical business applications requiring high bandwidth and low latency, to staying connected and productive while traversing large, congested networks in airports and train stations”, said WFA.
The new technology is also expected to bring enhanced performance to emerging applications such as virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) used in e-Learning, telepresence and healthcare. It is also meant to provide carriers and public Wi-Fi operators with more capabilities to support advanced connectivity in retail, stadiums and transportation hubs, including a growing array of location-based applications and services.
Consumers will be happy to know that devices compatible with Wi-Fi 6 have already started making their way to the market, and that includes the latest flagship smartphones from Apple and Samsung. While the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max all ship with Wi-Fi 6, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 has been named by the WFA as the first smartphone to be officially certified as compatible with the new technology.
