UWB: What it is and why you really need an iPhone to use it - ZDNet

1 year ago 47

UWB -- abbreviated for ultra-wideband -- is simply a low-energy, short-range vigor exertion that's been astir for a mates of decades (it went nether the sanction "pulse radio" for a while).

UWB makes usage of super-fast awesome pulses (anything up to implicit a cardinal a second) broadcast crossed a wide swathe of the vigor spectrum (from 500MHz to respective gigahertz). This allows it to debar the interference issues that plague different technologies, specified arsenic Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Also: How to way an AirTag

Up until recently, UWB has been constricted to mostly subject and aesculapian applications.

But that's changing.

While determination was a constituent erstwhile it looked similar UWB could regenerate Wi-Fi (that didn't happen), and that Apple mightiness beryllium readying to usage it to regenerate Bluetooth for communicating with AirPods, the diagnostic of UWB that's made it mainstream is precision finding.

Apple has included UWB enactment successful galore of its devices implicit the past fewer years, gathering the U1 spot into iPhones since the iPhone 11, Apple Watches starting with the Series 6, the HomePod Mini, the second-generation AirPods Pro, and, of course, AirTags.

If you usage AirTags -- and if you're an iPhone user, I truly deliberation you should usage them -- past you're already making usage of UWB to find your misplaced keys and pets.

Also: 5 ways AirTags tin simplify your life

The low-energy facet of UWB means that a tiny button-cell artillery tin past a twelvemonth successful a tag, portion the precision uncovering diagnostic means you tin constrictive your hunt for mislaid possessions down from a fewer 100 feet to a fewer inches.

Not lone is it much close than GPS, but it besides works indoors arsenic good arsenic outdoors.

And successful the Apple ecosystem, everything conscionable works.

Well… benignant of.

There is 1 objection here, and that's the latest-generation iPhone SE. For immoderate unusual reason, Apple didn't see UWB enactment here. Bit of an oversight if you inquire me, and I anticipation that the next-generation iPhone SE volition alteration this.

Review: Apple iPhone SE (2022): You simply can't find a amended telephone astatine this price

But what if you're an Android user?

This is wherever things get a batch patchier.

Of the myriad of Android devices released each month, fewer enactment UWB.

So far, it's a precise abbreviated list.

Samsung: Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy Z Fold 3, and Galaxy Z Fold 4
Google: Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 7 Pro
Xiaomi: Mix 4

Oh, and to marque things adjacent much confusing, of each those Samsung devices listed arsenic supporting UWB, right present lone the S21+ and S21 Ultra really work. I presume that Samsung will, astatine immoderate point, alteration it connected the different devices.

Yeah, I know, weird.

Samsung has its ain spirit of AirTags, the Galaxy SmartTag+, but unless you ain 1 of the Samsung smartphones that enactment UWB, you're retired of luck.

More annoyance.

Also: Flipper Zero FAQ: 'Can you truly hack Wi-Fi networks?' and different questions answered

Now, tags are 1 thing. You tin instrumentality them oregon permission them, but UWB is gaining traction successful different areas.

One of those uses is arsenic a integer "key" for your location oregon car. Imagine the convenience of being capable to locomotion up to your car oregon beforehand door, and person it observe your attack and automatically unlock for you.

Well, if you're an iPhone owner, things are aureate arsenic agelong arsenic you've bought a caller handset successful the past fewer years, and that iPhone wasn't the iPhone SE.

But for you Android users, things are messier.

You're not lone near to fig retired if your smartphone supports UWB, but you besides request to fig retired how to crook it on if it does.

My conjecture is that things are going to get amended implicit the adjacent fewer years, but it could beryllium a agelong clip until UWB makes it to budget Android devices.

Read Entire Article