Back in the day, your phone and laptop were the only devices you connected to wi-fi. Now, you're hooking up nearly everything in your house, from doorbells to lights to dog tags. That means wi-fi might not cut it anymore.
"Maybe I can help"—Big Tech
In September, Apple unveiled the U1 chip, which uses ultra-wideband (UWB) tech to create "GPS at the scale of your living room." Soon after, Amazon announced its own protocol, Sidewalk.
Why it matters: UWB is radio frequency technology that operates on a low-energy, short-range spectrum. It can help connect growing ecosystems of personal and smart home devices.
- Bluetooth's been the consumer device standard for decades, while UWB found a home in industrial applications. Today, Apple and Amazon are betting on UWB for connected, mid-range consumer products.
Why now, per Wired: "Many a promising Internet of Things protocol has vowed to fill the gaps between wi-fi, bluetooth and cellular but failed to get off the ground...both Amazon and Apple have the hardware scale."
For Apple, that could help make the iPhone or Watch a smart home hub. For Amazon, it could power the expanding Alexa product line.
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