MWC 2024 is officially here, and chipset giant Qualcomm has kicked off the show with the announcement of the first-ever 2×2 chip combining Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Ultra-Wideband (UWB). It’s also enhanced with AI, of course.
The Qualcomm FastConnect 7900 is expected to launch in the second half of this year, and it seems like a big deal. According to Qualcomm, the Wi-Fi system will adapt to different environments and use cases to deliver the best possible performance across a range of devices. It is also claimed to consume 40% less energy than the previous generation.
Advanced proximity sensing features are key to this chip, which combines Wi-Fi telemetry, Bluetooth channel probing, and UWB to help users connect devices more seamlessly. For example, if you use a tablet as a second screen for your laptop, the chip should be able to detect if you move it to the other side and adjust your orientation accordingly.
Qualcomm’s sample video also shows a phone enabling location detection for a pair of earbuds, with the screen displaying how far away the user is before finding them. It also shows a car that automatically unlocks when a man’s phone is nearby.
Audio is another key focus of Qualcomm FastConnect 7900, which supports the new Qualcomm XPAN technology suite and Snapdragon Sound. These combine to deliver high-speed music streaming over Wi-Fi (now 192kHz) without consuming much power. The chip also provides two simultaneous high-speed connections, delivering lossless high-resolution audio to wireless earphones.
At the launch, Javier del Prado, vice president and general manager of mobile connectivity at Qualcomm, said: “Building on the legacy of our first-generation Wi-Fi 7 offering found in millions of devices today, devices, FastConnect 7900 creates a new way to connect. .
“The system brings next-level capabilities in AI, proximity and cross-device experiences to the devices we love most. »
Devices that currently support Qualcomm FastConnect include the Xiaomi 14 series, Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones and earphones, and the Asus Zenfone 10.
The FastConnect 7900 isn’t the only product Qualcomm is unveiling at MWC. Like most in the tech world, the company is banking heavily on AI, introducing the first major multimodal mode (LMM) on a smartphone and on-device generative AI that doesn’t require access to the cloud.
We will be on the ground at the show and will bring more news as we become familiar with this futuristic technology.
