Wi-Fi for the Internet of Things gets a name: Wi-Fi HaLow

A new low-power, long-range version of Wi-Fi that bolsters Internet of Things (IoT) connections will be dubbed Wi-Fi HaLow, the Wi-Fi Alliance revealed today in advance of CES. Wi-Fi HaLow (pronounced HAY-Low) is based on the pending IEEE 802.11ah specification. It will be used in coming years for everything from smart homes and wearables to smart cities and connected cars where thousands of battery-operated sensors can be connected to a single Wi-Fi Access Point (AP).
The Wi-Fi Alliance, which includes about 700 vendors, expects to launch a certification process for Wi-Fi HaLow products in 2018, officials said. But products supporting the specification are expected to enter the market earlier. The IEEE finalization of 802.11ah is far along and already into what’s known as the technical phase.