A new WiFi standard, known as HaLow for short, has just been announced and promises greater reach in the home. The Wi-Fi Alliance, an industry group, announced IEEE 802.11ah. HaLow's range is twice that of today's WiFi while also requiring less power because it uses the 900 MHz band as opposed to the current 2.4 to 5 GHz range.
The Wi-Fi Alliance expects that HaLow will be compatible with the preceding standards.
The alliance would like many more devices such as in the smart-home or health sectors to use HaLow to access the internet or connect mobile devices. It may become a competitor to Bluetooth, which is a low-energy option in many wearables such as smart watches and fitness trackers.
Wi-Fi-Alliance did not announce when HaLow would be ready to hit the market.