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The Wi-Fi Alliance has officially launched its certification program for devices that support Wi-Fi 7, the latest generation of wireless internet technology.

According to the organization, Wi-Fi 7 introduces advanced new features that significantly boost Wi-Fi performance and enhance connectivity across a wide range of environments.

The capabilities offered through Wi-Fi Certified 7 enable innovations that rely on high throughput, deterministic latency, and improved reliability for critical data traffic.

As noted on the organization’s official site on Sunday (January 14, 2024), next-generation use cases such as AR, VR, multi-user XR, immersive 3D training, e-sports, hybrid work, industrial IoT, and automotive applications will benefit greatly from the advancements brought by Wi-Fi 7.

The organization estimates that Wi-Fi 7 will see rapid adoption across a broad ecosystem. More than 233 million devices are expected to enter the market in 2024, with that number rising to 2.1 billion devices by 2028.

“Smartphones, PCs, tablets, and access points (APs) will be among the earliest adopters, while customer premises equipment (CPE) and augmented/virtual reality devices will continue to gain early market traction,” the Wi-Fi Alliance stated.

Citing CNET, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)—the group responsible for developing new Wi-Fi standards—has been working on Wi-Fi 7 for several years.

Wi-Fi 7 builds on Wi-Fi 6E and remains backward-compatible, ensuring it works seamlessly with Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5 devices.

One highlighted feature is the 320 MHz channel, available in countries that allocate the 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi 7 also introduces Multi-Link Operation (MLO), allowing devices to send and receive data simultaneously across multiple links to boost throughput, reduce latency, and improve reliability. Another upgrade is 4K QAM, which delivers up to 20% higher transmission rates compared to 1024 QAM.

Kevin Robinson, President and CEO of the Wi-Fi Alliance, said the launch of the Wi-Fi 7 certification marks the arrival of the newest Wi-Fi generation and will accelerate mass adoption.

“This certification underscores our unwavering commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology that transforms how users experience Wi-Fi—offering faster speeds, higher efficiency, and greater reliability that open new possibilities for what Wi-Fi can achieve.”

According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, companies such as Broadcom, CommScope, Ruckus Networks, Intel, MaxLinear, MediaTek, and Qualcomm have become testing locations for Wi-Fi 7 certification and are among the first to receive Wi-Fi 7-certified devices.

Source: Liputan6.com