According to research firm In-Stat, 802.11n Wi-Fi technology will dominate the wireless HD video market, at least for the next several years. Three other technologies are competing in this space: Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI), WirelessHD, and Ultrawideband (UWB). However, the ubiquity of Wi-Fi technology is proving unstoppable.

According to In-Stat analyst Brian O’Rourke, 802.11n is the next generation of the Wi-Fi family. It is backward compatible and promises data rates above 100 Mbps. The installed base of Wi-Fi effectively includes all mobile PCs, many mobile phones and a wide variety of CE devices. The primary drawback to 802.11n is expense, since it requires codec technology on both ends to transmit HD video. Neither of its primary competitors, WHDI and WirelessHD, requires codecs.

Recent research by In-Stat indicates the following:

• UWB will not be a major factor in the consumer electronics market. Many chip companies are leaving the market in late 2008 and 2009.

• Nearly 24 million digital TVs will ship with some type of wireless HD video technology in 2013.

• WHDI and WirelessHD are being promoted by startups, but they are new, expensive and power-hungry, which is generally not a recipe for quick market success.

• WHDI and WirelessHD will see a slow start, with fewer than 8 million devices with those technologies shipped in 2013.

The Daily

Subscribe
Friday–May 1

Canela Media Turns to AI to Scale Hispanic Content

Canela Media is pulling 62 million monthly active users and 6 million social followers, while pushing into new territory by using AI to create microseries and dub content at scale.

Read the Full Issue
The Skinny is delivered on Tuesday and focuses on the cable profession. You'll stay in the know on the headlines, topics and special issues you value most. Sign Up

Calendar

May 5
T Howard Annual Awards Dinner T. Howard Foundation Annual Awards Dinner
Jun 4
2026 Cynopsis Sports Awards Presented in partnership with Cablefax
Jul 10
2026 Top Ops AwardsTop Ops Awards Entry Deadline
Nov 3
2026 Most Powerful Women Awards2026 Most Powerful Women Awards
Full Calendar

Jobs

Seeking an INDUSTRY JOB or hiring for one?
VIEW JOBS

In conjunction with our sister brand, Cynopsis, we are offering hiring managers a deep pool of media-savvy, skilled candidates at a range of experience levels and sectors. The result will be an even more robust industry job board, to help both employers and job seekers.

Contact us at marketing@cynopsis.com, for more information about posting a job on the website and our Jobs newsletter, sent twice weekly to 85,000 media professionals.