As early as next year there could be further progress in the wireless interfaces of the iPhone: A new frequency spectrum means higher speed and better reliability.
It’s only been a few years since we reported on a new wireless technology called Wi-Fi 6. Back then, what was once known as 802.11ax was given a much more memorable name, and previous convoluted Wi-Fi standards were given similar names: 802.11ac became Wi-Fi 5, 802.11n became Wi-Fi 4, and so on.
And now an even newer name is making the rounds: Wi-Fi 6E. In short, it is an updated version of Wi-Fi 6 that offers access to the new 6 GHz frequency band. Although it does not bring any new technology compared to Wi-Fi 6, this new frequency could be of great importance and have a major impact on the future of wireless networks. Recent rumors suggest that Wi-Fi 6E could launch as soon as the iPhone 14.
What’s the deal with this E?
It’s hard to believe, but the Wi-Fi standard has been broadcasting on the same sections of the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands for over 20 years! Wi-Fi 6 is just the latest attempt to use sophisticated techniques to get more bandwidth out of the standard and make it more reliable.
In April 2020, the FCC finally made 1,200MHz of new, unlicensed spectrum available in the 6GHz band — more spectrum for Wi-Fi than we’ve ever had at one time. Wi-Fi 6E is simply the first technology to support these new radio frequencies. It didn’t get a new name because it’s not actually a new technology – the encryption standards, block size and all other things are exactly the same as Wi-Fi 6.
That’s why it’s not called Wi-Fi 7, which is known as 802.11be and is still a few years away. Since it’s still Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E is still classified as 802.11ax, but an “E” has been appended to let you know which products can use the new 6GHz spectrum.
More spectrum means more bandwidth
Let’s take a quick technical look: the 1200MHz of new spectrum in the 6GHz band is divided into fourteen 80MHz channels and seven 160MHz channels (they overlap). Wi-Fi 6E routers can use these new channels in addition to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels already available, meaning they can transmit much more data at once.
How much more bandwidth? Well, that depends on the router and device and what features they support, but we’re talking high-end multi-gigabit speeds here. Wi-Fi 6E makes Wi-Fi fit for the Internet of the future, at speeds far faster than the Internet that’s reaching almost every home today.
Technically, the theoretical maximum speed of Wi-Fi 6E is the same as Wi-Fi 6’s 5 GHz band (9.6 Gbps), but it’s much more likely that one day you’ll hit those limits with the generous 6- GHz spectrum will test.
Wi-Fi 6E also uses more antennas. With Wi-Fi 6 on the iPhone 13, Apple uses 2X2 MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output), that is, a configuration with two antennas and two receiver antennas. Wi-Fi 6E could double that capability to 4X4, which would increase bandwidth and download speeds.
Less interference means more reliability
The other big selling point for Wi-Fi 6E is that it has no other competitors in this space. While Wi-Fi 6’s 2.5GHz and 5GHz spectrums struggle with a plethora of legacy Wi-Fi networks, microwave ovens and the like, Wi-Fi 6E has plenty of big, wide channels. While there are other technologies that broadcast in the 6GHz band, with so many large channels, the automatic frequency control should be able to handle it with ease.
Higher frequencies also usually mean lower latencies, so your Wi-FI could get closer to the responsiveness of wired networks. Of course, there’s also a downside: Higher frequencies don’t travel as far and don’t transmit through walls as well, so Wi-Fi 6E doesn’t necessarily offer better range than regular Wi-Fi 6.
When is Wi-Fi 6E coming?
It is already here! You can already buy Wi-Fi 6E routers from companies like Linksys or Netgear today. Of course, these routers are very new and expensive, and they only help if the devices you connect to them (laptops, tablets, phones, game consoles, etc.) also support Wi-Fi 6E. And most of them don’t, including the latest iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Apple isn’t always the first company to support a new Wi-Fi technology, but it’s not waiting long. Since the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra already offers Wi-Fi 6E support for Android phones, there is a good chance that the iPhone 14 will also support Wi-Fi 6E. High-end Macs and iPads coming out in 2023 have a good chance of supporting it as well if Apple comes on board with the latest wireless technology.
So if you’re looking to upgrade your router, you might want to wait a bit longer for Wi-Fi 6E router prices to come down. Wi-Fi 6 is great, but Wi-Fi 6E is even better, and the last thing you want when you’re investing in a new Wi-Fi system is to regret your purchase.
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