In a Sunday posting on its official blog, Samsung announced it has achieved new Wi-Fi technology that is capable of downloading a 1 GB file in less than three seconds. According to PCWorld, Samsung claims its 60 GHz Wi-Fi is five times faster than the current maximum speed experienced by most electronic devices, thus making Samsung’s technology the fastest Wi-Fi around.
A New Wi-Fi Standard?
This Wi-Fi standard, known officially as “802.11ad,” was originally developed by the Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig), which merged with the Wi-Fi Alliance in 2013. However, the original iteration of 802.11 ad Wi-Fi was faced with the challenge of working only within a short range of about 15 feet, and the signal was unable to penetrate walls. Samsung says it has overcome these barriers. A remaining challenge is getting all major smartphone manufacturers to adopt the technology; even devices that are 60 GHz-enabled cannot enjoy maximum Internet speeds until service providers support such capability.
If Samsung’s claims are accurate, its high-quality 60 GHz Wi-Fi technology will eliminate problems arising from signal interference when several smartphones are working within close proximity, as is the case in the workplace. Moreover, Samsung can get the 802.11ad technology faster to market, being that it is one of the world’s largest smartphone makers. This differentiating factor means that, while its predecessor (WiGig) might have invented the technology in theory, Samsung is more likely to implement the fastest Wi-Fi in reality.
When and Where to Expect the Fastest Wi-Fi
According to the Samsung blog, the company intends to apply its new Wi-Fi technology not only on smartphones, but also on “audio-visual and medical devices, as well as telecommunications equipment.” Samsung’s Wi-Fi developments will play a central role in its Internet of Things strategy, which is currently being led by the Samsung Smart Home system.
Commercialization of the technology is expected to start as soon as early next year, and it is possible that 60 GHz-enabled smartphones could be on the market less than a year from now.
Are you excited for faster Wi-Fi on your smartphone?
Image courtesy of Flickr
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