MWC 2024 is officially here, and chipset giant Qualcomm has kicked off the show with the announcement of the first-ever 2×2 chip to combine 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 sounds like a big deal. According to Qualcomm, the Wi-Fi system will adapt to different environments and use cases to deliver the best performance possible across a range of devices. It also supposedly has 40% less power usage than the previous generation.
The advanced proximity awareness features are key to this chip, which combines Wi-Fi Ranging, Bluetooth Channel Sounding and UWB to help users connect devices more seamlessly. For example, if you use a tablet as a second screen to your laptop, the chip should be able to detect if you move it to the other side and adjust your orientation accordingly.
Qualcomm’s example video also has a phone providing location detection for a pair of earbuds, with the screen displaying how many feet away the user is before she finds them. It also shows a car automatically unlocking when a man’s phone is within close range.
Audio is another key focus for Qualcomm FastConnect 7900, which supports the new Qualcomm XPAN and Snapdragon Sound Technology Suite. These combine to supposedly deliver high-bitrate music streaming over Wi-Fi (now 192kHz) without consuming a lot of power. The chip also provides two simultaneous high-band connections, delivering high-resolution lossless audio to wireless earbuds.
At the launch, Javier del Prado, Qualcomm’s Vice President and General Manager for Mobile Connectivity, said: “Building on the legacy of our first-gen Wi-Fi 7 offering found in millions of devices today, FastConnect 7900 creates a new way to connect.
“The system brings next-level capabilities across AI, proximity, and multi-device experiences into the devices we love most.”
Devices that currently support Qualcomm FastConnect include the Xiaomi 14 range, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Headphones, and the Asus Zenfone 10.
The FastConnect 7900 isn’t the only product Qualcomm is revealing at MWC. Like most of the tech world, the company is going big on AI – showcasing the first large multimodal mode (LMM) on a smartphone, and on-device generative AI that doesn’t require access to the cloud.
We’ll be on the ground at the show and will bring more news when we go hands-on with this futuristic technology.