The number of devices that will implement 802.11ac gigabit Wi-Fi will hit a billion units in 2015, predicts research firm In-Stat in a report issued earlier this week--even its shipments is zero at the moment. The successor to 802.11n, 802.11ac taps into the radio spectrum just below the 6GHz range, and is expected to break the 1gbps barrier via the use of multiple simultaneous streams of data. At the moment, most 802.11n devices on the market can connect at 300mbps, though new access points that tout 450mbps are starting to appear. 802.11n was designed to reach up to 600mbps.

According to In-Stat analyst Frank Dickson, "The timing for 802.11ac approval is to have a draft standard created by 2011 and have the first 802.11ac products out by the end of 2012." The company thinks that the shipment of mobile phones will contribute to a significant chunk of the "1 billion" figure; smartphones with embedded Wi-Fi are expected to reach 800 million by 2015. Considering that practically all tablets, laptops and even eBook readers already come with Wi-Fi capabilities these days, the assertion doesn't seem off-base at all, assuming the 802.11ac standard gets certified on schedule.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at eWeek
- check out this article at Interconnection World
- check out this article at CNET News

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