Wi-Fi 7 IoT device targets low-power tri-radio connectivity
Infineon Technologies has unveiled a tri-radio connectivity chip aimed at battery-powered and space-constrained connected devices. The ACW741x family integrates Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth LE 6.0 and IEEE 802.15.4 Thread in a single package, targeting home, commercial, and industrial IoT designs.
For eeNews Europe engineers working on multi-protocol edge nodes, the announcement signals how Wi-Fi 7 IoT device categories are evolving to address power and spectrum constraints. The move could be relevant as Wi-Fi Alliance certification expands to include 20 MHz-only devices.
20 MHz Wi-Fi 7 IoT device for congested environments
At the core of the launch is support for the emerging 20 MHz-only category within Wi-Fi 7. The ACW741x is positioned as the first Wi-Fi 7 IoT device optimised specifically for 20 MHz operation, reflecting a shift away from high-throughput consumer use cases towards low-power, reliable IoT links.
The device supports Wi-Fi 7 Multi-Link operation across 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands. Infineon says this allows adaptive band switching to mitigate congestion and interference, an issue that is becoming more visible as connected devices proliferate in dense residential and commercial deployments.
“We are committed to our mission of connecting all types of IoT devices by offering robust performance, low-power devices that are easy to integrate,” said Sivaram Trikutam, Senior Vice President of Wireless Products, Infineon Technologies. “As an increasing number of devices have multi-protocol use cases, an integrated tri-band single-chip device with the industry’s lowest Wi-Fi standby power allows suppliers to achieve reliable performance for increasingly congested smart-home and commercial environments.”
According to the company, the Wi-Fi 7 IoT device is optimised for ultra-low connected standby power and may suit battery-powered applications such as door locks, cameras and thermostats. Infineon claims up to 15x lower standby power consumption compared to other IoT Wi-Fi products, potentially extending battery lifetime in always-connected scenarios.
Multi-protocol integration and ecosystem support
Beyond Wi-Fi, the ACW741x integrates Bluetooth LE 6.0 with Channel Sounding and IEEE 802.15.4 for Thread, with Matter ecosystem support. This level of integration reflects increasing demand for multi-protocol designs, particularly in smart home and building automation systems.
Wireless sensing is also included via Wi-Fi Channel State Information, aligned with 802.11bf, and Bluetooth Channel Sounding for centimetre-level ranging. These features could enable contextual awareness and location-based services in both consumer and industrial IoT nodes.
“From the smart home to the factory floor, Wi-Fi 7 improves deterministic behavior, scheduling efficiency, and robustness of IoT devices in dense environments, bringing an overall network quality upgrade and providing a connectivity foundation for a wide range of IoT applications,” said Kevin Robinson, CEO, Wi-Fi Alliance. “With the recent extension of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 capabilities to 20 MHz-only devices, Wi-Fi Alliance will deliver the benefits of Wi-Fi 7 for new device categories, enabling the next wave of IoT innovation across smart home, industrial, and healthcare settings. The introduction of 20 MHz Wi-Fi 7 IoT solutions, such as those being introduced by Infineon, will unlock widespread Wi-Fi 7 adoption across the IoT market.”
The ACW741x family is sampling now, with development kits available. Infineon is also working with module partners including Azurewave, Ezurio, Murata and Quectel to support integration into ready-to-use wireless modules.
If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :
