NXP unveils 2x2 Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth solutions for IoT markets

NXP Semiconductors N.V. recently announced its family of 2×2 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) Dual Band + Bluetooth/BLE solutions that are driving a new phase of connectivity innovation for advanced gaming, audio, industrial, and IoT markets.

Enabling the world’s first Wi-Fi 6 enabled gaming console, NXP’s optimized IW62X family of products will provide increased capacity, efficiency, and performance for next-generation connectivity solutions including smart consumer IoT hubs, wireless speakers, video-enabled smart devices, augmented, and virtual reality (AR/VR) devices and a universe of additional IoT applications.

“Today we’re delivering the industry’s leading 2×2 Wi-Fi 6 Dual Band + Bluetooth solutions, enabling both the gaming industry and one of its most prominent console makers with Wi-Fi 6 for the first time,” said Rafael Sotomayor, executive VP of Connectivity and Security at NXP. “This product announcement reinforces NXP’s position at the cutting edge of connectivity and our ability to enable advanced wireless capabilities for the future of gaming plus the exponential growth in Wi-Fi 6 access points and IoT devices tethered to a single gateway.

Powering the latest gaming solutions in the market underscores the innovation and integration ingenuity of NXP’s wireless connectivity portfolio. The new 2×2 Wi-Fi 6 solutions are ideal for advanced gaming consoles that demand high-performance Wi-Fi with near-zero wireless controller lag time and low-latency multiplayer gaming experiences (via a single, in-room console) over wireless networks.

The IW62X solutions also offer real-time interactions for cloud-based gaming devices, clients, and services by providing high-bandwidth and low-latency connectivity needed for full 4k / 60 fps gameplay.

“Our IW62X family of integrated Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth solutions brings a step-change in high performance and power-efficient solutions for the latest generation of smart home IoT services, connected industrial applications and the vast number of consumer devices that rely on power-efficient Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity to maximize the user experience,” added Sotomayor.

Driving the future
NXP’s family of 2×2 Wi-Fi 6 Dual Band + Bluetooth solutions bring a dramatic boost in speed, and a 4x increase in network capacity, and a 2x increase in bandwidth over previous generations of Wi-Fi. This increased capacity with reduced latency supports a significantly higher number of users and devices connected to a network or gateway.

These forward-looking features support a wide range of robust use cases, including:

AR/VR headsets, making full, completely wireless immersive experiences in HD possible.
Multi-channel home theatre audio experiences with wireless speakers, video-enabled smart assistants with full bandwidth to support seamless 4k video interaction and content streaming.
Smart IoT hubs, appliances, and accessories, outdoor, and remote IP-enabled security cameras.
Consumer, commercial, and industrial IoT solutions for home and building control (smart lighting, building safety, and security and climate control).

Expanded capabilities
The BT/BLE radios support Bluetooth/BLE standards (BLE LR/2Mbps, BLE AoA/AoD, BLE Mesh), independent Bluetooth connections, and operational modes with multiple external devices. These capabilities enable advanced smart hub and smart home services that use Bluetooth-based positioning and Mesh connectivity, providing support for numerous applications, including:

Dual/independent wireless headset support.
Robust support of audio steaming (via stereo A2DP, Isochronous Channel).
Separate low-power peripheral / accessory control, including speaker, voice assistant, audio hubs/soundbar, physical remote control, and low-power device wakeup.

The IW62X family features the highest level of integration in the market, including 2.4 and 5 GHz dual-band Power Amplifiers (PAs), Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs) antenna switches. It also includes a power management unit that substantially reduces system-level BOM (Bill of Materials) and device board area. while also simplifying chip-on-board and integrated-module designs.