Qualcomm demos 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 chip for tablets at Computex

Qualcomm is taking the lead with its Qualcomm Atheros 802.11ac solutions for mobile devices. First announced in February this year, Qualcomm’s WCN3680 is a chip that combines 802.11ac Wi-Fi radio with Bluetooth 4.0. Today at Computex Taipei, Qualcomm  demonstrated the chip and it promises to integrate 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity on tablets and notebooks. Qualcomm said that its WCN3680 chip is designed to deliver connectivity with the speed and reliability essential to today’s mobile computing environments.

“Qualcomm Atheros is the only company in the industry to offer integrated 802.11ac chipsets for virtually every device class. We are focused on delighting consumers by creating seamless computing experiences to enjoy 802.11ac capabilities while on the go, in addition to delivering standard-setting performance at home or work,” Amir Faintuch of Qualcomm said.

In case you’re wondering what 802.11ac is, it’s actually a wireless computer networking standard of 802.11 and is currently under development. It’s expected to provide  high-throughput Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) on the 5 GHz band. The WCN3680 chip harnesses the technology behind 802.11ac. Qualcomm said that interoperability will commence once the Wi-Fi Alliance will begin its certification program on Q1 next year. Qualcomm Atheros is the networking and connectivity subsidiary of Qualcomm.

Gene Ryan Briones
Categories: Tablets
Tags: chips, Qualcomm