On Thursday (October 19th), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) agreed to open a spectrum for certain devices, which may help pave the way for new applications of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) wearable devices.
The organization unanimously voted to open the 6GHz frequency band to a category of "new ultra-low power devices", such as wearable technology devices.
According to a press release, the FCC expects this move to "stimulate an ecosystem of cutting-edge applications, including wearable technology, AR, and VR technology, which will help enhance business growth, increase learning opportunities, advance healthcare opportunities, and bring new entertainment experiences
Technology giants give great praise
Meta welcomes this move, and Kevin Martin, Vice President of North American Policy, stated in a statement that the vote is "a shining example of early cooperation between government regulatory agencies and the industry to contribute to future construction".
Meta sees the opening up of the 6GHz frequency band as an important step towards achieving its vision for smart glasses. This development means that future generations of such devices will have more powerful features, allowing wearable devices to be used even if the wearer is not at home and does not have a strong Wi Fi connection.
In a post on social media X, Pixel, Google's hardware department, wrote, "The 6GHz frequency band has become the key to future wireless connectivity. Today's vote by the Federal Communications Commission is a victory for Pixel users and American consumers, as this frequency band can now be used for high-speed peer-to-peer WiFi communication
The company describes peer-to-peer connectivity on its Android developer website as a way for devices to connect directly to each other through WiFi without the need for an intermediate access point. Google also added that this is very useful for multiplayer games and photo sharing applications.
Apple also wrote in a statement on Thursday that the FCC vote is a "positive step forward".
In 2020, when the FCC solicited opinions on opening up the 6GHz frequency band, Apple, Broadcom, Meta, and Google all advocated that the agency accept this proposal, stating that it would "make key use cases part of the next generation 5G ecosystem.
In their written comments at the time, the two companies stated that creating a class of extremely low power consumption (VLP) devices - including AR and VR tools, headphones, and game controllers - to connect them to the 6GHz frequency band would make these tools more mobile and able to operate outdoors without wires.
These two companies also wrote, "This capability, combined with low latency and high data rates, will support new critical use cases, from life-saving surgical training to helping blind and low vision populations
They also remind that if AR/VR glasses cannot be more portable or used outdoors, it will "seriously weaken their effectiveness".