Wi-Fi Alliance® releases new Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ n product data

Austin, TX - September 30, 2010 - The Wi-Fi Alliance today announced new data summarizing trends from the first year of activity since its Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n testing program was launched. 

The following data points summarize trends among the more than 1,100 products that have achieved the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n designation since September 30, 2009 - when the certification tests and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo were updated to align with finalization of the IEEE 802.11n standard.

Handsets shifting to next-generation Wi-Fi

  • 127 phones are now Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n, accounting for 20% of handsets certified in the last 12 months

Essential technology for the digital home

  • 251 consumer electronics products achieved Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n designation in the last 12 months
  • Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n consumer electronics include media servers, digital audio systems, gaming devices, and display devices

Increased performance capabilities and more dual-band products than ever before

  • Dual-band products, operating in both 2.4 and 5GHz, are on the rise as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n technology continues to proliferate
  • 441 products certified in the past 12 months are dual-band capable
  • 143 products can support both 5GHz and 2.4 GHz operation concurrently

Enterprise-grade products: Ethernet replacement becomes a reality

  • Enterprise networking vendors are responding to IT managers' demand 802.11n technology for its performance capacity, robustness, and range
  • 157 enterprise-grade infrastructure devices achieved the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n designation since the program's launch
  • 115 enterprise-grade access points support operation in either 2.4GHz or 5GHz

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n is today's Wi-Fi technology

  • Market adoption of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n technology parallels the product transitions illustrated above.  ABI Research predicts that about 59 percent of Wi-Fi products sold in 2010 will include 802.11n technology; by 2013, Wi-Fi shipments are expected to be nearly 95 percent 802.11n.

"The number and variety of devices that have become Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n in past 12 months have been tremendously exciting," said Kelly Davis-Felner, marketing director, Wi-Fi Alliance. "From televisions to mobile phones and points in between, Wi-Fi now connects a majority of consumer electronics, delivering the entertainment experiences that consumers crave."

"It's clear that Wi-Fi's integration into virtually all areas of the consumer electronics spectrum continues to expand," said Phil Solis, research director, ABI Research. "At the heart of this growth is Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n, which will continue to deliver the advanced performance these devices require, now and well into the future."

For a list of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products, numerous white papers, and other information, visit: http://www.wi-fi.org/