CES 2022: Gadgets Galore

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The Consumer Technology Association’s CES 2022 was back in Las Vegas this year, giving participants an up-close look at new, innovative technologies from around the tech world.

While last year was completely virtual, this year’s CES followed a hybrid model, allowing participants to join in person or remotely.The AXE11000 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E Router. Image Credit: TP-Link

This year was the year of the gadgets at CES — it was originally called the “Consumer Electronics Show,” after all. But with COVID-19 ushering in a new normal for the way we live, this year’s focus was on smart home devices. WIRED has a convenient recap here, summarizing the futuristic tech unveiled at CES. 

The technologies and capabilities unlocked by accessing the 6 GHz band are still ripe for innovation and development — a big theme that excited both industry and consumers. Wi-Fi 6/6E technologies are coming to market at a rapid pace, and that will only continue into 2022.

Over the past two years, there has been immense progress in the 6 GHz band. Less than two years ago the U.S. started the global movement when the FCC voted to open the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use. The industry hasn’t looked back since. 

If all the new devices announced at CES are any indication, it seems like 2022 will continue with the 6 GHz momentum. But there’s more: momentum is also building for the swath of spectrum that the FCC allocated for unlicensed technologies in the 5.9 GHz band. As the industry pushes forward, consumers will be treated with new Wi-Fi capabilities as Wi-Fi 6E devices become more readily available, and even gadgets that take advantage of the 5.9 GHz band. In fact, the first-ever router that utilizes part of the 5.9 GHz band was announced at CES, which is surely only the beginning of Wi-Fi devices using that newly allocated spectrum. 

Tech companies are eager to show consumers just what Wi-Fi 6E can do, and they took the opportunity to showcase it all at CES. Wi-Fi 6E-enabled routers, computers, smartphones and more took center stage in Las Vegas. Here is just a sample of devices announced last week:

  • Comcast introduced the latest version of the xFi Advanced Gateway, which is the cable operator’s first device to support the new Wi-Fi 6E standard available to customers.

And that’s not all. As we mentioned, gizmos and gadgets that are pushing us closer and closer to a real-life smart home were plentiful during CES. These Internet of Things devices include the Moen smart faucet that can be voice-activated, a Whirlpool update that will give their ovens an air fry mode and even Bird Buddy’s smart bird feeder that allows for viewing live footage of birds, taking pictures and identifying types of birds.

Given what we saw at CES, 2022 is poised to be a year filled with massive advancements in Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 6E and unlicensed technologies. Check back here at WifiForward as we bring you future updates on these technologies and how they will impact the future of our high-speed connectivity.