WiGig could replace USB cables with 60GHz says Wi-Fi Alliance

As if doing away with HDMI cables wasn’t enough, WiGig could also also act as a wireless form of USB.

Using an unlicenced part of the 60GHz spectrum, WiGig transmissions could effectively replace the humble USB cable with a wireless connection. The technology can transfer around 1,000 images between PCs in five seconds for can upload a two-minute HD video in three seconds.

While the technology could not be a direct replacement for Wi-Fi as the ranges are typically limitied to short distances, they could replace the cabling that is needed to connect peripherals to computers or Blu-ray players to televisions.

Read our guide to WiGigThe WiGig wireless USB specification uses existing USB 2.0/3.0 drivers and APIs and in turn could make adding new devices a lot easier. This came after the Wi-Fi Alliance teaming up with the USB Implementers Forum to transfer the new standard to the forum. The forum plans to develop a Media Agnostic USB Specification. It is expected that WiGig certified and Wi-Fi certified products will implement USB functionality.

“The forthcoming Media Agnostic USB Specification will give consumers more flexibility to wirelessly connect their USB enabled devices,” said Jeff Ravencraft, USB-IF president and chief operating officer.

Wi-Fi Alliance is also working wiht the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) to certify products based on the WiGig Display Extension Specification. Interoperable WiGig products are expected to start hitting the market in 2014.