New iPod touches, iPhones to support 802.11n?
updated 09:40 am EDT, Mon April 6, 2009
802.11n on iPhone, Touch?
Upgraded versions of the iPod touch -- and possibly the iPhone -- should add 802.11n to their stable of wireless technologies, investigation shows. Deeper penetration into the iPhone 3.0 beta firmware is said to show specifications for a Broadcom 802.11n module, hidden within resource files for a third-generation Touch. The BCM4329 chipset is also said to be low-power, thanks to special management; conserving power could an essential point in the iPhone, sometimes criticized for having a short battery life.
The addition of 802.11n should further enable Touches and iPhones to connect to prevalent 5GHz Wi-Fi networks, instead of the rarer 802.11a option or defaulting back to 2.4GHz 802.11b/g. AirPort routers without the latest dual-band technology have been unable to support Touches and iPhones without falling back to 2.4GHz, sacrificing the peak Mac and PC speeds possible with 802.11n. The 2.4GHz frequency can also be subject to interference from a variety of electronics.
