In 2022, the penetration rate of WiFi6 will continue to rise, bringing more application scenarios. The author found that Xiaomi WiFi6 routers, TP-Link WiFi6 routers, and Honor routers were all placed in prominent positions during a visit to a nearby electronic store. Module manufacturers in the electronics industry said that although the demand for consumer computers is sluggish, the demand for gaming and commercial computers is strong, while the demand for WiFi6/6E routers and network switches remains strong.

This year, we have also seen news that smartphones, TVs, smart speakers and new IoT products support WiFi6 technology. How does Infineon, a major IoT chip maker, view this potential IoT chip growth market? What new products have they launched to meet the needs of different end users? Has there been a market inflection point for Wi-Fi 6 chips to replace Wi-Fi 5 chips? What is the availability of Infineon WiFi6 and WiFi6E products in practical applications? Below I will give you an analysis and interpretation.

Jia Zhiyong, Marketing Manager of Infineon‘s Security Interconnection System Division, pointed out that Wi-Fi 6, on the basis of Wi-Fi 5, pays more attention to the performance and efficiency of the overall wireless connection, and a variety of flexible networking methods enable it to perfectly undertake Various wireless connectivity needs. This is the main boost of WiFi6.

We know that Wi-Fi 6 has higher transmission speeds and better performance in crowded areas than Wi-Fi 5. The maximum modulation of Wi-Fi 6 is increased from 256-QAM to 1024-QAM. With the increase of modulation code density, Wi-Fi6 has 2 to 3 times more data capacity than Wi-Fi5, and the theoretical maximum associated rate is increased from 6.9Gbps ​​to 9.6Gbps. In addition, Wi-Fi6 can support 2.4G and 5G frequency bands at the same time, and has a full version of MU-MIMO (supporting 8 terminal uplink/downlink), and introduces OFDMA technology, which can realize multiple users in each time period. transmission.

Jia Zhiyong, Marketing Manager of Infineon‘s Security Interconnection System Division, said that with the popularity of Wi-Fi 6 in smartphones and routers, Wi-Fi 6/6E has gradually become the mainstream technology for high-performance wireless connections. Wi-Fi 6‘s unique large data volume and low-latency transmission can enrich audio and video-related applications in home networks. Take 8k video transmission as an example, online on-demand and live broadcast, multi-channel theater sound effects, etc.; In the industrial field, ultra-low latency transmission and 6Ghz independent frequency bands provide more possibilities for real-time remote control with zero latency. Increase the use time of the product, and OFDMA technology can allow multiple IoT devices to work together and cooperate at the same time.

According to ABI Research, higher performance and lower power consumption have promoted the gradual replacement of Wi-Fi 5 by Wi-Fi 6. The entire replacement and update process is smooth, and will be accompanied by Wi-Fi 6 routers and The popularity of Wi-Fi 6 mobile phones is getting faster and faster, and it is predicted that the ratio of Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5 will exceed 10:1 by 2026.

Jia Zhiyong pointed out that Wi-Fi 6 mostly adopts 28nm or more advanced process, and the production capacity of this part is the most abundant in fabs. Therefore, with the gradual popularization of Wi-Fi 6, the price of Wi-Fi 6 chips will be more affordable to the people. , and there will be highly cost-effective IoT-only Wi-Fi 6 products to replace traditional 2.4G 11n products. In 2022, Infineon expects that Wi-Fi 6 will be gradually rolled out and popularized in fields such as the Internet of Things, industry and energy.

Infineon‘s WiFi6/6E chip solution has two major advantages: low power consumption, high speed, and covering multiple applications. The technical threshold of Wi-Fi 6 chips is relatively high. How to reduce power consumption of RF front-end chips with ultra-high linearity and at the same time push the cost of Wi-Fi 6 chips to be close to Wi-Fi 5 chips is a great challenge for related manufacturers. Infineon has achieved breakthroughs in major technical points.

Jia Zhiyong, marketing manager of Infineon Technologies Greater China Security Interconnection System Division, told reporters that Infineon‘s AIROC Wi-Fi6 chip has been mass-produced in the third quarter of last year, and this WiFi6 chip uses a 28nm process. In terms of receiving performance, the 28nm WiFi6 chip has 70% lower power consumption than the existing 40nm Wi-Fi5 products. In terms of transmission, under the premise of the same transmission power, Infineon products have 1/4 lower power consumption than existing 40nm products.

Jia Zhiyong said that Infineon has a wealth of products in Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E for customers to choose from, including the high-performance 5557x series products, as well as the 55513 and independent Wi-Fi that focus on the IoT market. 6 SOC 55913 and other products.

Infineon has released the Infineon AIROC CYW5557x chipset using the WiFI 6E standard. The 1×1 model of the chipset is designed for IoT, enterprise and industrial applications. The 2x2 MIMO chipset is designed for multimedia, consumer and automotive applications.

Infineon has further optimized its Wi-Fi 6 products in terms of wireless coverage and system power consumption. At the same time, it has also further strengthened and optimized the network connection stability and security that users are most concerned about. Infineon‘s OFDMA is designed in strict accordance with the association‘s specifications, so Infineon‘s equipment is compatible with most Wi-Fi 6 routers and gateways on the market.

Typical applications for the Infineon AIROC WiFi 6E chipset include gaming, smart speakers, voice assistance systems, AR/VR, digital cameras, security systems, industrial gateways and other AI products. Jia Zhiyong pointed out that the 6Ghz frequency band will be limited by the regulations on the use of radio spectrum in various countries. In countries that open the 6Ghz frequency band, Wi-Fi can maximize its performance advantages. Infineon‘s 6E products and Wi-Fi Fi 6 products are fully compatible and can provide the greatest assistance to customers and terminal manufacturers.