Wireless internet is a constantly changing area of technology. It seems as if just yesterday we were celebrating the developments Wi-Fi 6 brought about. Now, with Wi-Fi 7 already unveiled, we are being tantalized about the possibilities of Wi-Fi 8 launch. The main emphasis, somewhat ironically, is not on speed, which is often the emphasis of new Wi-Fi standards.
Qualcomm highlighted Wi-Fi 8’s main characteristics in a recent press release. Rolf De Vegt from Qualcomm stated, “Wi-Fi 8 is being developed to emphasize dependable performance in demanding real-world environments, therefore improving connectivity even in densely packed, interference-prone, and mobile settings”
It is remarkable that their announcement made no reference to speed, usually a big selling factor when a new Wi-Fi standard is launched. Rather, the focus is on consistent performance and use in congested places, aspects that might definitely see improvement even with the current high-performing Wi-Fi specifications. Furthermore, Wi-Fi 8 seeks to reduce latency, a quality especially helpful for players.
It is designed to provide a reliable, low-latency, near-lossless connection even in densely packed, interference-prone, and mobile situations. Three surprising main benefits of Wi-Fi 8 were highlighted in the announcement: at the 95th percentile of the latency distribution, a 25% latency reduction and a 25% decrease in lost packets, especially when switching between access points.
Qualcomm stated that we would have to wait until 2028 to experience Wi-Fi 8, but reassured us that ‘leading technology businesses,’ including Qualcomm itself, are actively developing it under the task group IEEE802.11bn under the initiative known as ‘Ultra High Reliability.”
“Looking ahead, the 802.11bn task group is set to focus on finalizing a robust and high-quality foundation for the upcoming Wi-Fi 8 generation, a generation that is once more expected to be utilized in billions of devices over the next ten years,” Qualcomm’s Rolf De Vegt stated as he ended the announcement.
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