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Ultra Wide Band technology (UWB) may not be a family name like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, but is silently revolutionizing how devices interact with each other.
In recent years it has become increasingly popular, appearing on smartphones and accessories such as location trackers.
But although its main use cases have so far been propelled by the tastes of Apple Airtags, Samsung Trackers and keyless cars systems, it is a technology that probably participates in the intelligent house revolution in the coming years.
But what exactly and how does it work?
We have compiled this guide to provide a complete description of UWB, so you can catch up.
What is ultra wide band technology?
Ultra Wide Band technology (UWB) is a short -range wireless communication technology that transmits data through a wide bandwidth, hence the name, greater than 500MHz at a very low power.
This wide bandwidth allows UWB to transmit and receive data in extremely short pulses, often measured in nanoseconds.
Originally developed for military and radar applications, UWB is now reaching consumer technology, and there are a series of useful use cases, which we will arrive next.
While precision may vary according to environmental conditions, UWB offers a high degree of precision, typically within 10-30 cm in optimal environments.
What is different from Bluetooth or Wi-Fi?
Like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, UWB is a short-range wireless communication protocol that uses radio waves.
However, UWB operates at higher frequencies and takes advantage of its wide bandwidth to achieve significantly higher accuracy in distance and location measurements.
Unlike Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which are designed mainly for data transfer, UWB is designed for spatial consciousness.
In addition, short pulses of UWB and wide bandwidth improve their resistance to interference and spio, providing better radiofrequency safety.
However, it is important to keep in mind that these technologies often work together.
For example, you can use Bluetooth low energy (ble) for the initial discovery of devices: think about combining a location tracker with a phone application, and then UWB can be used to handle precise location monitoring.
The newest Bluetooth versions are also increasing their ability to provide location services, reducing the gap between the two technologies.
What devices do ultra broad band use?
UWB chips are integrated into a growing range of devices, including smartphones, smart watches, tracking devices and headphones.
Apple U1 chip, which is found on iPhones from iPhone 11, and Airtags, USA UWB for precise location tracking and Samsung and Google tastes also use UWB for follow -up technology.
Share files through Apple Airdrop and the near Android also USA UWB.
Apple, Google and Samsung employ UWB in their respective location services: find me, find my device and be Samsung.
Beyond the monitoring of the location, UWB is finding applications in safe access control, such as vehicle -free entry systems; Payment systems, for safe and contact transactions; and industrial automation, to improve precision in manufacturing and logistics.
But it is a more recent use case that is more interesting for the space of the smart house.
UWB’s first smart blockade
At the beginning of last year, Silicon Valley Smart Home Specialist Xthings removed the covers of the edition of fingerprints of Ultraloq Bolt Matter, promoted as one of the first intelligent Wi-Fi wolves of the world compatible with the subject, and also the first matter About reading. Smart Lock to present a digital footprint reader.
And then, in CES 2025 in Las Vegas, the Union City brand returned with another first: The Bolt Mission UWB+NFC, which is the first smart block that admits UWB technology.
This means a more reliable and hands-free unlock experience compared to existing methods that depend on Bluetooth, GPS or Wi-Fi.
UWB in the mission allows the blockage to be detected accurately when an authorized user is approaching, using the UWB chip on their phone, so that the block can be unlocked automatically and safely.
And the lock can also detect if the user is the outer side of the door, so not only will unblock the door every time someone walks down the hall, near the door, for example.
We hope that a lot of smart locks with UWB feed will continue the Bolt’s mission, er, mission, in the coming months and years.
That is because there is a lot of impulse behind this. In mid -2014, as part of the iOS 18 update, Apple announced that you will admit UWB unlocked in Smart locks through Apple Home and Home Key.
This is part of the new Smart Aliro access standard, which was announced at the end of 2023.
In a movement towards the rationalization of the intelligent blocking experience, the alliance of connectivity standards, of the reputation of the subject, is behind Aliro, which is an innovative effort destined to transform how users unlock doors or other entry points using your mobile devices or portable devices.
If you have done its subject task, then you will know that the CSA includes more than 675 technology companies dedicated to opening standards for the Internet of Things (IoT), and the launch of Aliro meant that, once again, the alliance has the me Like Apple, Google and Samsung singing from the same Hymn sheet, which is not a feat.
The goal of Aliro, which means ‘access’ in Esperanto, is to establish a user experience consisting of certified hardware, to promote the generalized adoption of consumer electronic devices to unlock doors and openings.
In simpler terms, it is designed to make the smart blocking industry less a confusing disaster than it is currently.
The Aliro Communication Protocol, in the heart of the standard, admits a wide range of transmission technologies, including close field communication (NFC), low Bluetooth (LE) and UWB energy, as well as asymmetric cryptography and data credentials
Final thoughts
UWB is one of those technologies behind the scene that does not take the headlines, but is fundamentally changing the way we interact with the world.
With its unmatched precision, safety and low energy consumption, it is ready to become a central component of future smart houses, portable devices and connected devices.
So, although it may not see it, UWB is silently forming the next generation of technology.
Frequent questions
It depends on what you need. Bluetooth is more common and works well for general monitoring, but UWB offers much more precise location data, up to centimeters instead of meters. That is why Apple’s Airtags and Samsung’s Smarttags+ use both: Bluetooth for general discovery and UWB for fixed precision.
No, only selected models have UWB chips. Apple iPhones from iPhone 11 (with the U1 chip) and the new Samsung Galaxy models (such as the S21 and posterior) include UWB support. Google has also added UWB to some pixels models. If your phone does not have UWB, it will be limited to Bluetooth -based tracking and access control.
