Apple’s Adoption of Ultra-Wideband Technology is Said to Drive Competitive Growth

Apple has been a major supporter of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, having utilized it within the iPhone 12’s custom U1 chip, amongst other devices. The company’s adoption of UWB has now been said to be driving competitors and other companies into researching the technology for their own applications.

UWB technology has been sought after as it provides short-range, low-power radio frequencies. This, in turn, can provide precise positioning for devices. UWB can accurately gauge the distance between two devices emitting the radio waves between them. Apple has been steadily adopting UWB as it is now featured in the iPhone 12, iPhone 11, Apple Watch Series 6, and HomePod Mini.

According to Digitimes, the application of UWB has seen a surge, causing them to have broader coverage.

Apple has adopted the UWB technology for iPhone 11 and 12 series, Apple Watch 6 and HomePod mini, while Samsung Electronics has launched UWB-enabled smartphones including the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and the Galaxy Flip 2 and China-based Xiaomi has also offered a UWB-enabled smartphone model, Digitimes Research indicated.

Digitimes has also stated that sources indicate China-based Oppo and Vivo may also be looking into adopting UWB technology as the two companies continue to develop their next flagship models.

Most recently, BMW announced that it would be releasing its Digital Key Plus functionality in partnership with Apple and its U1 chip. Digital Key Plus will be made available on iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 with the possibility of being compatible with Apple Watch Series 6.

Additionally, it’s been speculated that Apple’s Tile tracking competitor AirTags will feature UWB technology. Tile, which has already made its way onto the market, is said to be releasing an updated version of its trackable tags with Ultra-Wideband to better assist users in locating their items.