If the spinning buffer wheel of misery is a regular spoiler of your movie streaming fun, there’s some good news on the horizon.
Despite Wi-Fi 7 having only officially launched earlier this year, Wi-Fi 8 is already in development, and Qualcomm says it will prioritise reliable performance in "challenging real-world conditions" over increased speed.
According to a whitepaper released by MediaTek (thanks, FlatpanelsHD), the new wi-fi standard will achieve this by coordinating between routers and devices, as well as through extended range.
This should make high-quality video streaming more seamless than with previous wi-fi versions, as well as making it possible to connect more video devices wirelessly instead of using cables.
It also adds that Wi-Fi 8 will improve performance at the outer limits of a signal’s reach, where current setups can suffer delays.
With the new development, there are plans to strengthen the "physical layer enhancements" meant to improve consistency without relying on signal strength alone.
All this sounds promising, but we'll have to wait a while until we can see the improvements in action before we can pass judgment.
The first products with Wi-Fi 8 are expected to arrive by the end of 2027, meaning there will be at least a two-year wait period.
If all these advancements go ahead, however, it could mean streaming high-quality content will become a lot easier and offer an overall smoother experience free from buffering.
Could it even also encourage streaming services to start offering 8K content? We'll very much have to wait and see on that.
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