Apple built UWB into the iPhone 11. Here's what you need to know (FAQ)

guest · Sep 14, 2019

Apple built UWB into the iPhone 11. Here's what you need to know (FAQ)
Ultra wideband wireless technology will precisely pinpoint your location
September 14, 2019
https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-built-uwb-into-the-iphone-11-heres-what-you-need-to-know-faq/

The technology, ultra wideband, or UWB, lets you pinpoint the exact location of phones, key fobs and tracking tags, helping you find lost dogs or automatically unlock your car.

UWB calculates precise locations by measuring how long it takes super-short radio pulses to travel between devices. It's well suited to Apple's rumored tracker tags. But UWB could also bring new smarts to your house, car and devices. Right now its use cases are limited, but UWB could lead to a world where just carrying your phone or wearing your watch helps log you in to everything around you and log you out when you leave.

Apple's attention is good news for UWB fans who hope to see the technology catch on, says Tim Harrington, executive director of the UWB Alliance, an industry group backing the technology. Unsurprisingly, Harrington is enthusiastic about Apple's embrace of the project.
Here's a look at UWB and its many uses.
Click to expand...

guest · Oct 12, 2019

A close inspection of Apple's new U1 chip hints at new experiences beyond AirDrop
The biggest innovation inside the new iPhone is a small chip
October 11, 2019
https://www.techspot.com/news/82315-close-inspection-apple-new-u1-chip-hints-new.html

Something to look forward to: More often than not, Apple keeps silent about what it has in store for the future. With the U1 chip inside the iPhone, the company teases the possibilities of an ecosystem of devices that are able to act as beacons and precisely locate other gadgets that use the same silicon.

Interestingly, the company didn't say much about the new U1 chip, which is perhaps the most significant addition to its latest smartphone and Watch Series 5.
The tiny piece of silicon uses ultra-wideband technology that powers new location tracking in iOS 13, and is expected to extend to future Apple accessories as well. It uses short-range radio technology that will improve the spatial awareness of the company's new devices and allow you to quickly pinpoint their precise location.

According to a report by iFixit, the U1 is Apple's own design that builds on top of Decawave's Ultra Wideband DW1000 chip which offers similar capabilities. Specifically, it uses a wireless standard called 802.15.4z and operates at a higher frequency than 5Ghz to allow precise radio-based positioning accurate down to a few centimeters.
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Apple says AirDrop is "just the beginning," and judging by the understated capabilities of the new U1 chip, the company may be looking to integrate it across its ecosystem of devices and accessories.
The AirPods are an obvious candidate, but we also know from iOS 13 code that Apple may be preparing a tracking fob.
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iFixit: Confirmed: Apple Developed Exclusive Tech for the U1 Ultra Wideband Radio

guest · Dec 31, 2019

Ultra Wideband (UWB) explained (and why it’s in the iPhone 11)
Ultra Wideband and IoT devices hold the promise of more precise location services as well as secure access to a myriad of systems
December 31, 2019
https://www.computerworld.com/artic...why-its-in-the-iphone-11.html#tk.rss_security

One of the new chips in this year’s crop of iPhones is the U1; it provides Ultra Wideband (UWB) connectivity that, in conjunction with Internet of Things (IoT) technology, could offer a myriad of new services for enterprises and consumers.

As Apple puts it, UWB technology offers “spatial awareness" – the ability for your phone to recognize its surroundings and the objects in it. Essentially, one iPhone 11 user can point his or her phone at another and transfer a file or photo.
While the technology isn't new, Apple’s implementation marks the first time UWB has been used in a modern smartphone.
[...]
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Where does UWB go from here?
FiRa Consortium members are convinced that the success of UWB secure fine ranging depends on an interoperable, holistic, and inter-connected ecosystem.

“We’ll have to see how well it actually works out, and how many people want it and how many services they can actually tie to it,” Gold said. “And, do you really want a mini-radar on your phone? I think that’s what could hold it back.”
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mirimir · Dec 31, 2019

mood said: ↑

more precise location services
Click to expand...

Just what we need.

guest · Sep 5, 2020

Everything you need to know about UWB wireless technology
September 5, 2020
https://www.androidauthority.com/what-is-uwb-1151744/

One of the lesser-known features of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is ultra-wideband (UWB) technology. The handset joins Apple’s iPhone 11 series as the first batch of smartphones to sport the wireless communication standard.

UWB is a new technology to the mobile market, jostling for status with well established wireless standards such as NFC and Bluetooth Low Energy. UWB promises similar capabilities but has its own unique set of pros and cons compared to existing standards. The feature is set to become much more widely supported in the coming years, so let’s get ahead of the curve. Here’s everything you need to know about ultra-wideband technology.
[...]
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Ultra-wideband technology has been around for a little while, but it’s very new in smartphones. It’s reserved for some of the most expensive handsets on the market right now. You can find the shortlist of compatible handsets 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 more years before it’s anything like a ubiquitous technology with wide-reaching support. We expect smartphones from other manufacturers to include support in upcoming flagship generations, but mid-tier and more affordable options are still a few years away.
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guest · Oct 12, 2020

Xiaomi demonstrates the power of Ultra-wideband technology (video)
October 12, 2020
https://mspoweruser.com/xiaomi-ultra-wideband-technology/

With the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, Apple became the first major smartphone OEM to include UWB technology in the devices. Samsung recently joined the party by including UWB in the latest Galaxy Note20 series. UWB (Ultra Wideband) technology enables spatial awareness. It can precisely locate other UWB-equipped devices. Here’s how Apple and Samsung use UWB in their smartphones.

Today, Xiaomi released a new video that provides a glimpse of how UWB will change the way interact with our devices
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Right now, when you want to control a device using your smartphone, you need to open the respective app and initiate some action.
With UWB, you can just point your smartphone towards the device you want to control, smartphones can detect which device you are pointing to using UWB and present you an appropriate control panel. You can check out Xiaomi’s demo video below.
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guest · Jul 21, 2021

Apple Expands U1 Ultra Wideband to Four More Countries
July 21, 2021
https://wccftech.com/apple-expands-u1-ultra-wideband-to-four-more-countries/

Apple's U1 chip has been unlocked in four additional countries, meaning features like Precision Finding will now work where the chip has been unlocked.
Apple's Ultra Wideband U1 Chip Unlocked in Argentina, Pakistan, Paraguay and Solomon Islands
Previously, a lot of AirTag users found out the hard way that Precision Finding is not working for them at all, as if the feature didn't exist in the first place. It was simply because the U1 chip was disabled in their region / country. With the release iOS 14.7, Apple has went ahead and unlocked the U1 Ultra Wideband chip in four more countries, which are as follows: [...]
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Keep in mind that the Ultra Wideband chip is only available in iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 lineup of smartphones. If you have something older than that and don't see features like Precision Finding working, then it's completely normal as those older iPhones do not have a built-in U1 chip.

Apart from Precision Finding for AirTag, Apple uses the U1 chip in other great ways as well. For example, it is used in AirDrop to find contacts around you by simply pointing your phone at them.
Click to expand...

Ultra Wideband availability

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