Qualcomm's latest connectivity modules step up to Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2

Today (May 28, 2020), Qualcomm has introduced the FastConnect 6900 and 6700 wireless connection solutions. They improve on their predecessors in the sense that they are poised to bring Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 to the future of the mobile device market. They are also based on a 14 nanometer (nm) process with an architecture that may result in power-savings of up to 50% (compared to what, Qualcomm did not mention).

The 2 new systems put the 'E' in 6E by converting it to 2.4/5/6GHz-band Wi-Fi. The newest of these adds up to 1.2GHz in terms of its Wi-Fi spectrum, thus promoting "ultra-low latency" that includes the potential for sub-3 millisecond (ms) "VR-class latency".

This boosts maximum speeds to 3.6Gb/s in the 6900 and to 3Gb/s in the 6700. Both new modules also exhibit 160MHz-channel support in the 5 and 6GHz bands, which may result in "dramatically" improved throughput and less congestion compared to the FastConnects' predecessors.

Bluetooth 5.2, on the other hand, will be facilitated through a 2nd antenna with intelligent switching. Qualcomm projects that this will help it in supporting emerging wireless comms features that may become important in next-gen smartphones. They include applications of simultaneous multiple audio connections such as multi-point audio sharing and broadcast audio.

The new standard may also support other new specs such as Qualcomm aptX Voice and aptX Adaptive, which may support "wire-equivalent audio" (up to 96 kilohertz (kHz)). Bluetooth 5.2 is also compatible with the latest QCC5141, QCC5144, QCC3046 and QCC3040 audio SoCs. Their maker has already sent FastConnect 6900 and 6700 samples to OEMs, and projects that they may become incorporated by these manufacturers by the second half of 2020 at the earliest.