Wi-Fi 6E is the most advanced standard in the industry, but it doesn't seem to hold the crown for long. Companies are working to boost speeds even further, especially with the advent of 5G, the insanely fast wireless system. According to the latest reports, we may see Wi-Fi 7 earlier than expected as MediaTek is preparing to demonstrate this technology during CES 2022.
As expected, Wi-Fi 7 brings significant improvements over the previous generation. Wi-Fi 7 will be about 2,4 times faster than existing Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E standards, according to James Chen, MediaTek's vice president of product marketing. In addition to significant speed improvements, the new standard is said to offer much lower latency as well. This will be especially useful in areas such as games where fast-paced multiplayer games require as few milliseconds as possible.
In addition, Chen added that Wi-Fi 7 will "work well" with your neighbor's Wi-Fi 7 network. To make things easier, it will use new technology to reduce interference from signals outside your home. Chen says the Taiwanese chipmaker will showcase the new technology at CES 2022. However, the technology's availability is not great. Apparently, this is still "a very early stage in the Wi-Fi 7 standardization process." At the same time, the official refrained from details. He did say that we might see a launch in the second quarter of 2022. However, the official release, followed by availability, is not due until 2023.
Wi-Fi 7 should still be away from clients
It's worth noting that announcement, actual release, and availability are three different things. The standard may be announced next year, but that doesn't mean direct availability, as the report says. When it becomes “available” in 2023, it also doesn't mean that everyone will be able to use it. As with Wi-Fi 6, companies will need to launch new devices that support Wi-Fi 7 standards. Currently, even Wi-Fi 6 is not widely available in the industry. Most smart TVs and smartphones are only now receiving support for the new standard, and very slowly. However, the availability of Wi-Fi 7 may not be available to most consumers in a few years.
Today has been a big day for MediaTek. The Taiwanese gave a keynote address to reveal some of their plans for the future. The flagship SoC of the new generation, Dimensity 9000, was also unveiled. It is the first chipset in MediaTek's recent history to provide the necessary performance to compete in the flagship segment. Next year, he will have a fierce battle against the Exynos 2200 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, mainly the latter.
