Infineon Technologies AG, a global tech powerhouse, today unveiled its latest addition to the AIROC™ lineup: the AIROC CYW5551x Wi-Fi 6/6E and Bluetooth® 5.4 suite. This groundbreaking family promises unparalleled 1×1 Wi-Fi 6/6E (802.11ax) connectivity, surpassing industry standards and delivering cutting-edge ultra-low power Bluetooth connectivity. With the CYW55512, a high-performance dual-band Wi-Fi 6 solution, and the CYW55513, a top-tier tri-band Wi-Fi 6/6E solution, Infineon presents power-efficient technologies tailor-made for the smart home, wearables, industrial, and other IoT applications with compact designs.
Sivaram Trikutam, Vice President of Wi-Fi Products at Infineon, commented on the new launch, “With the CYW5551x family, we are taking the superior range, steadfast reliability, and robust network capabilities of our 2×2 Wi-Fi 6/6E CYW5557x series and repackaging them for the IoT ecosystem. In line with Infineon’s commitment to digital transformation and reducing carbon footprints, these products are engineered for minimal power consumption, making them a perfect fit for battery-driven gadgets such as wearables and IP cameras. Their exceptional performance over varied temperature conditions makes them invaluable for a plethora of industrial applications including solar panel controls, EV charging, logistics, and more.”
Notably, Infineon’s latest offering provides robust support for the nascent “greenfield” 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi 6E, ensuring minimized latency and interference. The Bluetooth 5.4 low energy (LE) with Audio component has been designed for optimal range and power, boasting a formidable 20 dBm transmit power. The new additions also come with enhanced multi-layered security, earning them the PSA Level 1 certification. The product’s design versatility is further highlighted by its compatibility with a vast network of module and platform partners. Backed by comprehensive Linux, RTOS, and Android compatibility, and equipped with a rigorously tested Bluetooth stack and sample code, these devices promise a swift development process.
Availability Update:
The AIROC CYW55512 and CYW55513 are now open for sampling. Market availability for the CYW5512 is expected in March 2024, while the CYW55513 is set to hit the shelves in June 2024.
What about Wi-Fi 6
Wi-Fi 6 (also known as 802.11ax) is the latest generation of Wi-Fi technology, and Wi-Fi 6E refers to the extension of Wi-Fi 6 into the 6 GHz band. Here are the primary new features and improvements of Wi-Fi 6/6E:
- Increased Capacity and Efficiency: Wi-Fi 6 uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) to divide channels into smaller sub-channels, allowing simultaneous data transmission to multiple devices, improving network efficiency.
- Higher Data Rates: With 1024-QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), Wi-Fi 6 offers a higher data rate, increasing the throughput by about 25% compared to Wi-Fi 5.
- Improved Range: Target Wake Time (TWT) allows devices to negotiate when and how frequently they will wake up to send or receive data, which improves battery life. Additionally, BSS Coloring helps reduce interference in densely populated areas, improving range.
- Increased Device Capacity: Basic Service Set (BSS) Coloring helps in identifying and managing interference from neighboring networks, allowing more devices to operate in the same space without mutual interference.
- Faster Speeds with MU-MIMO: While Wi-Fi 5 introduced MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple Input, Multiple Output) for downlink connections, Wi-Fi 6 extends MU-MIMO support for uplink connections as well, permitting multiple devices to transmit data at the same time.
- Robust Performance in Crowded Areas: Wi-Fi 6 performs better in crowded areas like airports, stadiums, and other public places due to its improved management of network congestion.
- Improved Security: Wi-Fi 6 incorporates WPA3 security, the latest version of Wi-Fi Protected Access, which offers enhanced cryptographic strength and improved security protocols.
- Wi-Fi 6E and the 6 GHz Band: Wi-Fi 6E is an extension of Wi-Fi 6 that brings all its benefits into the newly allocated 6 GHz spectrum. The 6 GHz band provides more channels and therefore more bandwidth, resulting in reduced congestion and significantly faster speeds. This band was previously unutilized for Wi-Fi, meaning devices on 6E will experience minimal interference.
Overall, Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E are designed to meet the growing demands of modern networks by offering faster speeds, improved efficiency, better range, and support for more devices.
