Qualcomm has announced that the forthcoming Wi-Fi 8 standard will deliver significant enhancements in terms of performance and reliability, prominently featuring multi-access point coordination and seamless roaming capabilities. This new wireless standard is currently in development under the ‘Ultra High Reliability’ (UHR) initiative, a collaborative effort involving multiple industry stakeholders, including the US-based chipmaker. Although the standard is not slated for finalization until 2028, Qualcomm has already disclosed various improvements expected with Wi-Fi 8 that aim to bolster the reliability of wireless networks.
Wi-Fi 8 Promises Enhanced Network Reliability With Seamless Roaming and Reduced Latency
According to insights from the IEEE scope document, Qualcomm states that Wi-Fi 8 will include enhancements such as lower latency at the 95th percentile, increased throughput in high-congestion scenarios, and improved roaming capabilities between access points. Additional benefits will encompass enhanced peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, better power efficiency, and operational reliability that meets “wired grade” standards.
Projected timeline for the upcoming Wi-Fi standard
Photo Credit: Qualcomm
Currently, Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE802.11be) stands as the latest standard in wireless networking, boasting various performance advancements over its predecessor, Wi-Fi 6. Wi-Fi 7 has achieved faster data transmission rates and introduced features like flexible channel utilization, primarily developed under the Extremely High Throughput (EHT) initiative aimed at enhancing performance in both indoor and outdoor settings.
In contrast, Qualcomm emphasizes that the UHR initiative is specifically targeted at improving wireless network reliability, while previous iterations such as Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 have prioritized performance and efficiency, respectively. The company also points to emerging types of wireless devices that are poised for widespread adoption in the coming years, including augmented reality (AR) glasses and other wearable technology. Qualcomm, alongside partners like Samsung and Google, is actively developing AR glasses as part of this growing trend.
Wi-Fi 8 is projected to achieve increased reliability in network performance through five key advancements: seamless roaming across multiple access points, enhanced power efficiency for both access points and client devices, improved compatibility with other wireless protocols, better edge performance, and optimized coordination in high-density environments.
Although the IEEE802.11bn standard remains under development, with an expected completion date of March 2028, both Qualcomm and MediaTek have begun promoting the advantages of Wi-Fi 8 networks. Their collaborative efforts aim to ensure that upcoming devices will be equipped to support this innovative wireless standard by the end of the decade.
