Qualcomm offers first 802.11ay 60GHz Wi-Fi chipsets for WiGig devices

Earlier this month, the Wi-Fi Alliance announced that the next generation of Wi-Fi devices will be called “Wi-Fi 6,” all but dismissing the cryptic 802.11 variations that have inspired confusion over the past 19 years. But as it turns out, a smaller collection of super high-performance routers and devices will still use the 802.11 designation, and Qualcomm today announced the first chipsets that will power them.

Qualcomm is referring to its latest chipsets as part of its “60GHz Wi-Fi portfolio,” but the technology is also known as 802.11ay and WiGig. Unlike Wi-Fi 6, which solely uses the 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio bands found in today’s Wi-Fi routers, WiGig adds additional 60GHz millimeter wave hardware that delivers even better speeds — albeit with less ability to penetrate walls.