FCC Opens Spectrum Band for AR and VR Wearables; Creates Opportunities for Google, Apple, and Meta

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has decided to open a 6GHz band spectrum for specific wearable devices.
• Tech leaders, including Meta, Apple, Google, and Broadcom, have advocated for the FCC’s decision, as it potentially opens opportunities for AR/VR applications.

The FCC has voted to open a 6GHz spectrum band for specific devices to create a new category of ‘very-low power devices.’ The new band is expected to aid in creating a new ecosystem of wearable tech, including augmented reality and virtual reality devices. This will include applications in fields such as entertainment and healthcare.

The move is being welcomed by tech leaders, including Apple, Meta, Broadcom, and Google, who have invested heavily in AR and VR technologies. This is because using a 6GHz signal will allow such devices to run smoothly even with a weak WiFi signal, allowing for a broader range of applications.

For instance, using a 6GHz band will allow Android devices to connect by simply using their WiFi capabilities instead of depending on an intermediary device, allowing users to share content or play multiplayer games easily.

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Meta is expected to leverage the FCC’s decision in the development of the company’s smart glasses project. Google’s Pixel project will also likely benefit from the new spectrum band, while Apple and Broadcom will benefit from the next-gen 5G ecosystem.

The opening of the new spectrum band will be incremental to the development of AR and VR tools. It will allow such devices to be used similarly to mobile devices, without wires, and in situations outside homes and offices. In addition, low latencies resulting from the new project will aid critical applications in healthcare and communication.

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Image source: Shutterstock

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