One of the lesser known features of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is ultra-broadband technology (UWB). The handset is part of the iPhone 11 series from Apple and the first series of smartphones with the standard for wireless communication.
UWB is a new technology for the mobile communications market that is fighting for its status with established mobile communications standards such as NFC and Bluetooth Low Energy. UWB promises similar capabilities, but has its own advantages and disadvantages compared to existing standards. The feature is expected to be even more widespread in the coming years. So let’s be one step ahead of the curve. Everything you need to know about ultra-broadband technology is here.
What is UWB and how does it work?
UWB is very different from how other wireless data transmissions work. It is a pulse-based radio technology that sends data in the time domain with a spectrum from 3.1 to 10.6 GHz. Traditional wireless transmissions vary the power, frequency, and / or phase of a sine wave to encode data rather than simple pulses.
The pulse method requires a lot more spectrum to work reliably, hence the ultra-broadband nomenclature. A single band is usually 500 MHz wide compared to a 4G LTE band at 5 to 20 MHz or 20 MHz to 80 MHz for WiFi. Due to the broad spectrum, pulsed data can be sent very quickly without losing accuracy. UWB can achieve data rates of 4 Mbit / s to 675 Mbit / s or more, depending on the frequency. This is far faster than the 424 Kbit / s speed of NFC and the standard speed of 2.1 Mbit / s of Bluetooth, but not as fast as the speed of 2 Gbit / s that can be achieved with WiFi-6.
Typically, wireless technologies are limited to very narrow bands to avoid mutual interference. UWB avoids this problem by operating at very low power levels that are essentially below the noise floor of other wireless applications. In other words, the spectrum is wide enough to be easily seen, but at a power low enough not to interfere with other signals.
Another advantage of this pulse-based transmission is that time-of-flight information can be calculated from the received data. If you know the time and speed of data transfer, you can easily calculate the distance between the transmitter and receiver. Obtaining more accurate 2D or 3D location data, however, is much more complex. The measurement accuracy of UWB is 10cm or less, which greatly improves the one meter accuracy you can get with Bluetooth or WiFi (Bluetooth 5.1 can be as accurate as UWB in some cases). This is a boon for security applications.
In terms of use cases, ultra-broadband is touted as a great idea for wireless car entry and front door technologies because of its high positional accuracy. It can also be used for finding lost devices, NFC-style tags, indoor navigation, mobile payments, and interacting with nearby connected objects in a store. Apple’s Airdrop and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra already use the technology to transfer large files over the air, but that barely scratches the surface.
UWB versus NFC and Bluetooth
If these ultra-broadband use cases sound familiar, many of these functions can already be performed using existing NFC and Bluetooth technologies. Which begs the question, why bother with another wireless standard?
Bluetooth works in the 2.4 GHz band and therefore offers an adequate range for indoor use. However, this is in the same spectrum as some WiFi signals, so it is prone to interference. UWB’s broadband options make it much less prone to interference, which is why it is used early in industrial applications. However, the range is not as long as with Bluetooth. NFC works at 13.56 MHz, but has a very short range of only 4 cm.
One advantage for the old technology is that both NFC and Bluetooth are inexpensive to implement, especially for beacons with low power consumption or NFC tags with passive power supply. UWB is not that cheap and requires electricity. As a result, NFC won’t be making contactless payments anywhere anytime soon. Thanks to the extensive support, audio functionality, and greater range of Bluetooth, Bluetooth can do some things that UWB can’t. These two options are likely to remain popular for existing use cases.
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UWB comes into its own when high-speed data transmissions, fast location with high accuracy and / or low risk of interference are required. This makes the technology the best option for scenarios that require additional security, such as B. wireless vehicle access. Ultra broadband has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is certainly not a direct replacement for any of the wireless technologies already on the market.
Smartphones that support ultra broadband
Ultra-broadband technology has been around for a while, but it’s very new to smartphones. It is reserved for some of the most expensive cell phones on the market right now. The selection list of compatible handsets can be found below.
- Apple iPhone 11
- Apple iPhone 11 Pro
- Apple iPhone 11 Pro max
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
UWB is only as good as the devices that support it. It will be many years before it becomes ubiquitous and widely supported. We expect third-party smartphones to offer support for upcoming flagship generations, but mid-size and more affordable options are still a few years away.