This has been a busy week of product launches for Apple, with its new iMac, Mac mini and MacBook Pro models all equipped with the powerful and long-awaited M4 chip, which promises greater speed and efficiency. However, despite including improvements such as Thunderbolt 5 and screens with a nano-texture option, the surprise was that there was a connectivity technology that they do not incorporate, and the iPhone 16 does have.
It is about the Wi-Fi 7 support on new Macs. Unlike the iPhone 16 launched in September, which do integrate this new connectivity technology, the Macs remain with Wi-Fi 6E, something that has baffled users.
Apple forgets about Wi-Fi 7 in the new Macs
Wi-Fi 7 is the latest generation in wireless connectivity standards, capable of delivering maximum theoretical speed and significantly improved latency thanks to a bandwidth of up to 320MHz. This generational leap is ideal for applications such as online video games, high-quality content streaming and video conferencing.
However, new Mac models equipped with the M4 chip only offer Wi-Fi 6E, which while it can reach the 6GHz band on compatible routers, falls short of the possibilities of Wi-Fi 7, such as support for Multi-Link Operation or MLOwhich allows simultaneous connection to several bands, speeding up data transmission and reducing latency.
Apple’s decision is even more curious considering that the iPhone 16 has Wi-Fi 7 chips manufactured by Broadcom, although it is true that these also have certain limitations. On the iPhone 16, Wi-Fi 7 support has been limited to a bandwidth of 160MHz, the same as found on the Wi-Fi 6E chips in Macs with M4. Still, iPhone 16 users can benefit from MLO, which offers a faster and more stable connectionsomething that is out of the reach of the new Macs with M4, which have not yet incorporated this advance.
Apple leaves more doubts than certainties
For many experts and regular users, the absence of Wi-Fi 7 in the line of Macs with the M4 chip is a negative and disappointing aspect, especially considering that Macs are devices that tend to remain in use for several years. The lack of this technology reduces the future potential that many users expect in high-end equipment. In addition, Wi-Fi 7 could have significantly benefited the most advanced models, such as those that integrate the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, focused on professionals who demand a best quality connectivitystable and without interruptions.
Apple has opted for keep Wi-Fi 6E in the new Macs, a decision that some attribute to a market strategy that reserves connectivity updates for future generations of its devices. However, this raises questions about the need to renew Apple equipment if it lacks the latest specifications, especially when the market for Wi-Fi 7 routers is growing and more and more homes are preparing to make the leap to this standard.
