Wi-Fi 7 Support Rumoured for iPhone 16 and Windows 11, 12 Onwards

Since Wi-Fi 7 was first approved in 2019, there has been an expected lag in consumer devices that support the new connection standard.

17:43 27 September 2023

Since Wi-Fi 7 was first approved in 2019, there has been an expected lag in consumer devices that support the new connection standard. It seems like this is going to change, however, as both Apple and Microsoft are rumoured to make moves on this soon. With the upcoming iPhone 16 and Windows support, Wi-Fi 7 is going to become accessible to a lot more people.

The Benefits of Wi-Fi 7

So, what does Wi-Fi 7 improve upon when compared to its predecessor – Wi-Fi 6 and 6E? The 6 standard is still very popular, especially with IoT technology, so that isn’t going anywhere. Wi-Fi 7 will build on 6 by reaching speeds up to 46 gigabits per second where past standards topped out at 10. It should be noted that these predictions tend to fall short, so around 20 gigabits are a more reasonable expectation.

Wi-Fi improvement is needed as public and private sector services continue to go online. A large and growing portion of entertainment is consumed through an internet connection, whether it’s from streamed TV shows/movies or through accessing dedicated entertainment websites, like those found in iGaming. When users watch videos or play slots online with jackpots, it’s thanks to their Wi-Fi connection where faster internet speeds can make the experience more seamless and enjoyable, particularly for games which connect to others to provide communal prize pools. This is to say nothing of social media and its role in communication, also heavily reliant on Wi-Fi.

Android & Apple Support

Android has already started offering smartphones that have Wi-Fi 7 support through its Android 13 version. While initial hardware like the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro worked through Google’s Tensor G2 chip, marketed for its AI properties, MediaTek’s Dimensity 9200 chipset will enable more Wi-Fi 7 connectivity to both routers and hotspots. This means a lot of phones rocking the Android OS can and will have Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, along with the expected AI-led camera improvements that are popular nowadays.

Then there’s Apple, which is famously more restrictive with the technology inside its hardware. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said that the upcoming iPhone 15 won’t support Wi-Fi 7 yet, as Wi-Fi 6/6E is more than enough for now. It should be noted that Wi-Fi 7 isn’t even getting its final version until the first quarter of 2024. However, he says that the iPhone 16 will likely support Wi-Fi 7 following the launch of the Apple Vision Pro.

This is because Wi-Fi 7 will reduce latency in AR/VR, along with cloud computing applications and 4k video streaming. That makes it perfect for the Vision Pro and further Apple products but not necessary in 2023 products before the protocol has even become finalised. 

Limited Windows Support

Alongside upcoming mobile support, news broke in the summer of 2023 that Windows will support Wi-Fi 7 in the future. However, this will only be on its most up-to-date OS systems, with Windows 10 missing the cut. Windows 11 will support Wi-Fi 7 through Intel’s Gale Peak 2 BE200 platform. It’s also coming to Linux and ChromeOS

Other Wi-Fi 7 solutions by MediaTek and Qualcomm also don’t support Wi-Fi 7 for Windows 10, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Documents from Intel indicate this may be due to a lack of certified drivers for Windows 10 that can support Wi-Fi 7 even if it was offered.

Still, we know that Windows generations get territorial about the OS it uses, previously seen with Windows 7 which regularly ranks as the most popular Windows version to ever release. The news may disappoint fans of Windows 10 who would prefer to use that OS instead of its more modern counterparts.