Introducing WiFi 6 Phones

What is Wifi 6? In simple terms, Wifi 6 refers to the 6th generation of Wi-fi. That means that before Wifi 6, there have been Wifi 1, Wifi 2, Wifi 3, Wifi 4, and Wifi 5. What are the benefits, how do you get it, and what Wifi 6 phones are available to buy in 2020? 

Wi-fi 6 is the latest and most advanced Wi-fi standard. What does it offer? Faster speeds and better capacity summarize the main the benefits of this new standard. To be able to use Wifi 6, you need both a Wifi 6 capable router or mifi and a Wifi 6 compatible smartphone or laptop. This article provides useful information about what Wifi 6 is, as well as a list of available Wifi 6 phones.

What are the benefits of Wi-fi 6?

Wi-fi 6 delivers faster speeds than Wi-fi 5. It also allows more devices to connect at the same time, as well as manages the connection more efficiently. Other advantages include better security and potentially improved battery life.

How to recognize Wifi 6 phones and devices

You won’t find the label “Wi-fi 6” on any smartphones, routers or mifi devices. Why? Because devices and gadgets bear the more technical label, “802.11.ax” or “Wi-fi 802.11.ax”. If a device has that label on it, that is a Wi-fi 6 compatible device. Here is a quick list of all Wifi versions, including the year each was ratified:

• Wi-Fi 1 (1999) = 802.11b 
• Wi-Fi 2 (1999) = 802.11a 
• Wi-Fi 3 (2003) = 802.11g
• Wi-Fi 4 (2009) = 802.11n 
• Wi-Fi 5 (2014) = 802.11ac 
• Wi-Fi 6 (2019) = 802.11ax  

In our specs sheets, for example, you will see the Wifi specified in the format, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n. This means the device has Wifi 2, Wifi 3, and Wifi 4. Wifi 6 phones and devices would have “ax” in there, e.g. Wi-Fi 802.11  a/b/g/n/ac/ax. With this information, you can search through MobilityArena’s phone specifications to see which devices support which Wi-Fi standards.

How much faster is Wifi 6?

Wi-Fi 6 delivers up to 40% improvements on the speed of Wi-Fi 5. Note that real life speeds are often much lower, as they depend on other factors like your Internet connection and number of active devices connected.

Should I buy a Wifi 6 suppported router or mifi?

If you want to use Wi-Fi 6, the only way to do so is to buy new hardware – Wifi 6 phones and routers. So, yes; you should buy a Wifi 6 enabled router.

List of Wifi 6 compatible phones

Because Wi-fi 6 is new, there are not a lot of Wifi 6 phones in production yet. Samsung was the first smartphone maker to rollout a Wifi 6 phone and placed the Galaxy S10 on the map as the world’s first Wifi 6 phone. Other brands like Xiaomi, Huawei, Apple, and LG have since followed suit. As of now, the list of phones that can connect at faster Wi-Fi 6 speeds includes the following:

• Samsung Galaxy S10
• Samsung Galaxy S10E
• Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
• Samsung Galaxy Note 10
• Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S20
• Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
• Samsung Galaxy Fold
• Xiaomi Mi 10 5G
• Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G
• Huawei P40 Pro
• Apple iPhone 11
• Apple iPhone 11 Pro
• Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
• Apple iPhone SE 2020
• Sony Xperia 1 II
• OnePlus 8
• OnePlus 8 Pro
• LG V60 ThinQ
• Motorola Edge Plus

Looking at the above list, you will notice that the first generation of Wifi 6 phones are all high-end devices. This is in line with the pattern we have seen over the years with new technology. It first appears on premium devices and then trickles down over time to mid-range devices and then to the low end of the market. In another two or three years, we will be seeing Wifi 6 phones in the budget market.

For now, if you want a Wifi 6 phone, you must be ready to spend a small fortune for a premium smartphone. Similarly, the first set of Wi-fi 6 compatible routers will be on the expensive side but eventually we will see more affordable options. It is the curse of early adopters.

Related: Xiaomi devices that have WiFi 6 (2021)