Sales of Wi-Fi-enabled devices have increased 64% this year and will exceed 120m units before the year is out.
A study by analyst In-Stat, on behalf of the Wi-Fi Alliance industry group, confirms the current rapid growth of Wi-Fi connectivity since the technology first appeared five years ago.
In-Stat analyst Gemma Tedesco said, “This is a significant milestone for such a young technology.”
The Wi-Fi Alliance said around 2,200 products have been given Wi-Fi accreditation since 2000.
With demand for laptops equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity growing fast, it is expected that almost all mobile PCs will be bundled with the technology in around a year.
Wi-Fi is the trade name given to products that comply with the various 802.11 wireless Lan standards. The latest ratified standard is 802.11g, which supports connectivity speeds of up to around 55mbps.
A faster standard, 802.11n, is currently in preparation.
The Canary Wharf area of London’s Docklands announced itself as Europe’s biggest Wi-Fi-enabled area this week.
Employees and visitors to the area now have access to a public Wi-Fi network from parks, shops, restaurants and other areas.
