The Future of WiFi

Do you remember the last time you plugged your laptop (or any other device for that matter) into the wall? No, not the power cord, we’re talking about that little green or yellow cord you used to have to use to connect to the internet.

If you remember this, then you remember the days before WiFi. It might feel like WiFi has always been around, but it didn’t even exist until 1997 and wasn’t in wide use until 2004. Before then, no barista had ever been asked “what’s your WiFi password?” and mobile data was coveted like toilet paper in March of 2020. Now we tend to take WiFi for granted at work, at home, in dentist’s offices, while shopping, and more.

Where mobile data is limited or where reception is poor, WiFi saves the day and has enabled our workforce to be more mobile and productive within and around homes and office buildings. We can work from coffee shops, the living room, or take our laptop from our office to the conference room and back again. But what’s in store for WiFi, and how can we expect this technology to evolve?

What’s Next?

Designers and manufacturers of electronic devices (from complex machinery like in agricultural applications or aerospace) to cell phones and wearables are creating all their products with WiFi in mind. The demand for WiFi-enabled devices and products isn’t expected to slow down either. In fact, it’s expected to continue to grow. Consumers have come to expect their devices to be WiFi compatible, and want to leave their ethernet cables in the drawer.
The demand for WiFi networks is going to continue to grow as well. If the pandemic has taught us anything, streaming devices and our connectivity isn’t just about binge-watching our favorite shows, it’s how many of us were able to get work done, and the only way our kids could participate in education. We will spare you the tech jargon, but faster, more robust WiFi technology is in development to help keep up with the demands that working, learning, and streaming places on WiFi networks.
While just a few decades ago WiFi was considered a luxury or a cool tech perk, more and more it is coming to be considered a daily need like plumbing or electricity. As a result of this shift, the need to address disparities in WiFi access across the country and across the world will become more important. Rural areas and underdeveloped nations are going to provide the innovators of today with great opportunities to design unique infrastructure solutions, as WiFi technology continues to improve.