Intel Details Key Features of Wi-Fi 8
Intel provided insights into the Wi-Fi 8 development process and asserted that the next generation of wireless technology would turn the corner. Unlike in previous standards, wherein the criteria for peak speeds were primary, stabilization of the network and alleviation of existing weaknesses is the focus for Wi-Fi 8.
Real-World Performance Improvements
In real-world application cases, Wi-Fi 8 is expected to significantly reduce latency and lag. The standard would allow devices to switch between access points in a few milliseconds, thereby avoiding connection drops. Such handover without interruption is vital for calls, video conferencing, and cloud gaming.
Home networks are also expected to prioritize traffic more intelligently. Wi-Fi 8 will handle bandwidth such that video calls, online gaming, and streaming services can operate at the same time with no interference from each other.
Technical Enhancements for Reliability
It is not these enhancements alone; the theoretical maximum speeds are not how improvements in Wi-Fi 8 would be based. Instead, Wi-Fi 8 will rely on smarter operations over the network. Some key technical improvements are:
- Choosing data transmission modes more wisely, based on signal conditions.
- Flow reduction of errors and need for packet retransmissions.
- Operation of access points in coordination so that they do not interfere with each other.
The outcome of this upgrade will be a connection that is stable and allows higher and consistent speeds for the users, above what Wi-Fi 7 is providing today.
New Capabilities Presence and Location Detection
Wi-Fi 8 will also smartly know how far the other devices are and in what direction, as well as sensing human presence. This will enable new kinds of user experiences, such as automatically and seamlessly transferring an active call or video from a laptop to a smartphone as a user walks between them.
