Wi-Fi 7 is still in the process of becoming globally adopted, with the Wi-Fi Alliance beginning product certification at the end of 2023. Even so, the industry continues to move at breakneck speed, already in the development process of Wi-Fi 8. In a 2024 white paper, Wi-Fi chip supplier MediaTek, commented on the development of this next generation.
“Wi-Fi 8 prioritizes one aspect of wireless communication that has become increasingly critical: reliability,” writes MediaTek. “Whereas 802.11be, which became commercialized as Wi-Fi 7, was termed ‘Extremely High Throughput’, 802.11bn, which is expected to be accepted as Wi-Fi 8, is focused on ‘Ultra High Reliability’.”
As reported by FlatPanelsHD, though the first Wi-Fi 8 products are expected to hit shelves in 2027, its specification is not finalized, so there are still several variables at play. mmWave (24+ GHz) is still being considered, and could increase Wi-Fi 8’s bandwidth to 100 Gbps. Originally slated for Wi-Fi 7, Coordinated Multi-AP will arrive in Wi-Fi 8, bringing with it improved speed and performance for networks with multiple routers.
