Apple is reportedly working towards upgrading its network standard for iPhone 16 to Wi-Fi 7. In order to better support its broadening ecosystem with the upcoming Vision Pro AR/VR headset, the tech giant is making significant upgrades to help the headset integrate with iPhone.
Wi-Fi 6 has been supported across iPhones for many years. Introduced in iPhone 11, the standard improves data speeds, offering 9.6Gbps. However, Wi-Fi 7 is being positioned to be a significant upgrade. It’s claimed that the new standard is up to four times faster than Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, with peak rates around 40Gbps.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple’s adoption of Wi-Fi 7 will be “more conducive to Apple’s integration of hardware products running on the same local network and provide a better ecosystem experience.”
Given the Vision Pro is being prepped for release, it makes sense that Apple will want to leverage the iPhone’s power at some point. During its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) reveal, Apple focused on how the Vision Pro is a standalone product. However, Kuo believes the company wants to build a “more competitive ecosystem” for the headset.
With better data speeds, Wi-Fi 7 could enable the iPhone 16 and Vision Pro to share data and files with improved latency, more efficient response time and reduced power consumption. Wi-Fi 7 is supposedly also better suited to support multiple devices. This means that if Vision Pro is meant to be the central device utilizing iPhone, Mac, etc., adopting Wi-Fi 7 will be pivotal.
Kuo also notes that this year’s iPhone 15 may see an upgrade to its Ultra Wideband chip. The U1 is what powers AirDrop, ‘Find My’ and other location-based features. Upgrading from 16nm to the rumoured 7nm could offer better performance and reduce power consumption once more.
Vision Pro is an ambitious pillar for the future of Apple. If the tech giant wants to leverage its ecosystem, each of its flagship devices would benefit from connecting to the headset in a meaningful way. The AR/VR headset is expected to launch early next year in the U.S. for $3,499 USD (roughly $4,700 CAD). There’s no word on when it will release in Canada.
Source: @mingchikuo Via: 9to5Mac
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