The Consumer Technology Association’s CES 2021 officially kicked off on Monday, offering participants a look at cutting-edge insights from around the world of tech. While the yearly event normally takes place in Las Vegas, this year was the first-ever, all-digital CES.
This year’s show featured a number of exciting developments in the tech world, especially related to how we can better deal with a world still greatly impacted by COVID-19. WIRED has a handy liveblog here that keeps a running list of the new tech being unveiled this week, from a 4K projector to new remote working technology to a cardiac monitoring device and beyond.
Aside from all of these new technologies, one consistent theme throughout the week has been the emergence of Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E technology.
2020 was a very big year for the 6 GHz band, both on a global scale and in the United States, with the FCC opening up 6 GHz for unlicensed use and countries like Brazil and Chile also designating the 6 GHz band for unlicensed devices. So far in 2021, it looks like the momentum will continue for the 6 GHz band, unlocking new Wi-Fi capabilities. Very simply, Wi-Fi 6 is an upgraded, better version of the Wi-Fi we use today and Wi-Fi 6E is Wi-Fi 6 that can operate in the newly freed 6 GHz band, leading to lower latency and faster speeds for all users.
Tech companies seized on this new Wi-Fi technology and are showcasing the latest at CES.This week, they have announced Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E devices (i.e. computers, smartphones, etc.) and also routers to create a full ecosystem that will brighten the future of connectivity for all.
See below for a list of the Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E innovations unveiled at CES this year:
- Samsung announced the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the first ever smartphone that is compatible with Wi-Fi 6E. The new smartphone from Samsung will allow users to stream and download faster than ever before.
- Linksys officially unveiled their AXE8400 Wi-Fi 6E mesh router that will provide “the ideal solution for bandwidth-heavy home” and support concurrent activities including working from home, remote learning, online gaming and beyond.
- NetGear announced its first ever Wi-Fi 6E-ready device that takes advantage of the 6 GHz band: the Nighthawk RAXE500. The Manta Ray-shaped device can provide unfettered bandwidth to devices that require a lot of it while avoiding disruptions caused by other household devices.
- ASUS announced an expansion to its host of routers with the RT-AX68U, a Wi-Fi 6 router that provides faster speeds and supports the company’s Instant Guard security app.
- D-Link invented a USB adapter that they unveiled at CES that allows users to add Wi-Fi 6 capabilities to your laptop. The “industry first” adapter will allow speeds up to 1,200 Mbps.
And that’s not to mention all of the Internet of Things devices unveiled this week that will run over Wi-Fi — everything from the Hex Home, which uses Wi-Fi signals to detect intruders, to Wi-Fi-equipped GoPros that allow daredevils to share footage easily.
This year’s CES was proof that 2021 will be a big year for Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 6 andWi-Fi 6E technologies. Continue to watch this space for updates on these technologies and what it means to the future of high-speed connectivity.