Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct Personal, portable Wi-Fi to connect devices anywhere, any time Wi-Fi Alliance October 2010 The following document and the information contained herein regarding Wi-Fi Alliance programs and expected dates of launch, are subject to revision or removal at any time without notice. THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS", "AS AVAILABLE" AND "WITH ALL FAULTS" BASIS. THE WI-FI ALLIANCE MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, CONDITIONS OR GUARANTEES AS TO THE USEFULNESS, QUALITY, SUITABILITY, TRUTH, ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THIS DOCUMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT.
Overview Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct is a certification mark for devices supporting a game-changing new technology enabling Wi-Fi devices to connect directly, making it simple and convenient to do things like print, share, sync and display. Products bearing the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct designation can connect to one another without joining a traditional home, office or hotspot network. Mobile phones, cameras, printers, PCs, and gaming devices will be able to connect directly to each other to transfer content and share applications quickly and easily. Wi-Fi Direct devices will be able to make a one-to-one connection, or several devices can connect simultaneously. Connecting Wi-Fi Direct-certified devices is easy and simple, in many cases only requiring the push of a button. Wi-Fi Direct products are based upon an industry-wide technology defined in the Wi-Fi Alliance by computing, consumer electronics, and handset vendors from around the world. Wi-Fi Direct-certified devices have been tested and certified for this technology as well as interoperability and WPA2 security, the current generation of security technology. Wi-Fi Direct: Wi-Fi Technology Evolves to Keep Pace with Consumer Needs Today, roughly 10% of all people in the world use Wi-Fi to stay connected. 1 There are more than 1 billion devices in use today, with an estimated 580 million units shipped in 2009. Shipments for 2011 are forecasted at 1 billion, growing to 1.5 billion by 2013. 2 Wi-Fi is widely available in homes, Wi-Fi hotspots, and enterprise environments, and is found in many types of devices, including notebook computers, cameras, media players, photo frames, TVs, gaming devices, and mobile phones, among others. At the time of this paper s publication, the Wi-Fi Alliance has more than 350 member companies and has completed more than 8,000 product certifications since March 2000. The introduction of Wi-Fi Direct devices extends Wi-Fi s utility at the center of a seamless connected experience, meeting end users current needs for portable content and easy, seamless connectivity between devices. The technology greatly enhances the portability of content and applications across all of a user s devices using a single industry-wide technology, allowing users to access movies, music, and photos on the go. Wi-Fi shipments continue to grow each year, with more than 1 billion devices in use today. 1 Wi-Fi Alliance estimate of installed base of Wi-Fi devices, 2009. 2 ABI Research, 2010. 2010 Wi-Fi Alliance. All rights reserved. 1 of 6
Around the globe, people are creating, storing, accessing and sharing more songs, videos, pictures and documents than ever before. Recent research indicates that U.S. Millennials - people between the ages of 18-29 - have on average a total of 2,400 songs, videos and pictures stored on digital devices. The trend toward ever-larger amounts of portable content is echoed in China, Japan and Korea. 3 pictures with friends and family, or around a single handheld or laptop screen to watch videos. Wi-Fi Direct products enable users to connect directly with each others devices to share those pictures, games and video, or display them on a nearby monitor or TV for easy viewing. In the study, young consumers also revealed that they would most want to use Wi-Fi Direct for instant messaging, sharing pictures with friends and family, displaying those pictures from a portable device to a monitor or TV screen, video chatting, and playing video games with others while on the go. 4 Millennials frequently gather around a single digital camera to look at 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Digital Content Stored Worldwide Wakefield Research - August 2010 US China Japan Korea Pictures Videos Songs U.S. Millennials store an average of 2,400 songs, photos and videos on digital devices Wi-Fi Direct Benefits The technology behind Wi-Fi Direct builds on traditional Wi-Fi strengths like performance, security, ease of use and ubiquity, and adds features that optimize it for consumer uses that don t require access to an infrastructure network. Rather than connecting first to an infrastructure network and then connecting to another networked device, users can connect directly to those devices offering the services they need. This allows, for example, a mobile device such as a cellular phone to connect directly to a laptop, regardless of whether an infrastructure network is available to the user. Many consumers associate Wi-Fi with Internet connectivity. Devices certified for Wi-Fi Direct extend the technology s reach to include the simple, direct connections that many users may accomplish using cables today. Here are some of the benefits consumers will see from Wi-Fi Direct devices. Mobility & Portability: Wi-Fi Direct-certified devices connect anytime, anywhere. Immediate Utility: Users have the ability to create direct connections with the very first Wi-Fi Direct-certified device they bring home. For example, a new laptop certified for Wi-Fi Direct can create direct connections with the existing legacy Wi-Fi devices in the user s home. Ease of Use: Wi-Fi Direct devices have features that allow users to identify available devices and services before establishing a connection. Simple Secure Connections: Wi-Fi Protected Setup makes it simple to create securityprotected connections between devices. Users in most cases will be able to connect at the push of a button. 3 Wi-Fi Alliance and Wakefield Research, Global Wi-Fi Survey, August 2010. 4 Wi-Fi Alliance and Wakefield Research, Global Wi-Fi Survey, August 2010. 2010 Wi-Fi Alliance. All rights reserved. 2 of 6
The technology behind Wi-Fi Direct plays a role anywhere and connections support simple transactions. Here are some examples of how it extends the connected experience: Nora needs to print her term paper before heading to class. Her laptop has permission to access the university s network, but she is not allowed to connect her printer to the network. In her dorm room, she prints directly to her Wi-Fienabled printer while continuing to check email over the university network. Bert and Fergus are throwing a party on the first weekend of the semester. All the guests use the cameras on their mobile phones to capture the party at its peak, and transfer images to each other. Joe is commuting to work on the train after a once-in-a-lifetime vacation overseas. He makes use of the time to transfer his photos directly from his Wi-Fi-enabled camera to his notebook and culls through them to find the best ones. When he gets to the office, he displays the photos on the office television. Kevin has been travelling for two weeks using his netbook. When he returns to the office, he syncs the new files he has created on his netbook with his desktop PC. Kyle s friends Taylor, Jett and Ava come to his house after school to play video games. The group bypasses the home network and Wi-Fi Direct devices have Wi- Fi s traditional strengths Throughput and range of traditional Wi-Fi technology Works with legacy Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices Virtually any application can be designed to run over the connection Latest-generation security: WPA2 Easy to set up and protect with Wi-Fi Protected Setup and important new capabilities. Devices find each other automatically Devices can see what other devices can do (e.g., print) Sophisticated power management Devices can connect to each other while staying connected to the Internet directly connects their handheld gaming devices to engage in mortal combat. Jett prevails. Later that evening, Kyle connects to his home network and challenges Jett to a rematch over the Internet. How Wi-Fi Direct Works Wi-Fi Direct device connections can happen anywhere, anytime - even when you don t have access to a Wi-Fi network. Your Wi-Fi Direct-certified device will signal to other devices in the area that it can make a connection. You can view available devices and ask them to connect. In some cases, you might receive an invitation to connect to another Wi-Fi Direct certified device. You can then decide whether to accept the invitation or not. In many devices the only action required is to push a connection button on the device, or accept a pop-up window request. Just like with traditional Wi-Fi networks, you should only connect with trusted devices or people. Once a connection is confirmed using Wi-Fi Protected Setup, the seamless and easy to use protocol for Wi-Fi connections, the devices make a secure connection to help protect your communication. This secure connection is completed by industry-standard WPA2 security, the very latest and best form of Wi-Fi security. Once two or more Wi-Fi Direct-certified devices connect directly, they have formed a Wi-Fi Direct Group. Now you can get started doing all the exciting things that Wi-Fi Direct enables! 2010 Wi-Fi Alliance. All rights reserved. 3 of 6
Wi-Fi Direct devices can connect to each other on a one-to-one basis, or as a group. A one-toone connection will be very common for Wi-Fi Direct devices. You may use one-to-one connections to exchange content or share applications with a friend or co-worker. You may often connect your camera to a printer, your phone to your PC to sync calendars, or a gaming device to another gaming device in order to compete real-time. You may also link your phone to a display device such as a TV in order to view downloaded videos. Many Wi-Fi Direct devices can also connect with multiple devices at one time. This group connection is known as one-to-many because one device will act as the gate keeper to invite other devices and determine whether devices requesting to join the group will be allowed. Only devices that receive permission from the gatekeeper device are allowed to connect to other devices in the group. A one-to-many connection allows many devices to connect together and replaces numerous cables between the devices. A one-to-many connection in your home may include PCs, printers, speakers, TVs, monitors and cameras. Wi-Fi Direct-certified devices are also able to make direct connections to most of your older Wi-Fi CERTIFIED equipment. In this way, Wi- Fi Direct brings direct connection capabilities to the hundreds of millions of legacy Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices already in our homes and workplaces. As long as one device in a connection is Wi-Fi Direct-certified, you can connect all devices without a Wi-Fi home network or hotspot. You ll never be without a network again, as the network can travel with you wherever you go, whenever you need it. Connections can be one-to-one or one-to-many. Legacy devices can connect to a Wi-Fi Direct device. Summary Wi-Fi Direct is a certification for an exciting new technology that enables Wi-Fi devices to form connections among themselves, with or without a hotspot or other Wi-Fi network available. Now, Wi-Fi isn t just about accessing the Internet but about connecting all the Wi-Fi devices you and your friends have anytime, anywhere. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct devices connect directly to make it simpler and more convenient to do things like share, synch or transfer content, and play games. You don t need an access point or internet connection to use it the connection lives inside your Wi-Fi Direct devices, and goes with you wherever you go. With Wi-Fi Protected Setup included in devices as well, Wi-Fi Direct is easy to setup and use. The very latest WPA2 security mechanisms help ensure your communications and data transfers are safe and secure. You get the ability to connect directly to other Wi-Fi devices without sacrificing performance or security. 2010 Wi-Fi Alliance. All rights reserved. 4 of 6
Wi-Fi Direct devices are compatible with almost all of your existing Wi-Fi devices, and enable them to connect with virtually any other Wi-Fi device as well, so you can connect seamlessly across different device types and brands, such as TVs, cameras and printers, as well as laptops and gaming devices. That brings direct connection capabilities to the hundreds of millions of legacy Wi- Fi CERTIFIED devices already in homes and offices around the globe. Manufacturers and service providers will soon be offering exciting new applications for Wi-Fi Direct. Around the globe, more and more people are connecting digital devices in order to create and share content, music and videos, sync personal and work information and print photos, email, letters and documents. Wi-Fi Direct devices can do the things they find most valuable in a direct connection sharing pictures with friends and family, displaying those pictures from a portable device to a monitor or TV screen, video chatting, and playing video games with others. Wi-Fi has already changed the way the world connects. With Wi-Fi Direct, users will now find it even easier to share, show, print, and synchronize content however they want, wherever they are. With Wi-Fi Direct-certified devices, users will no longer need to worry about finding a network to connect devices the connection travels with them. For more information about Wi-Fi Direct and other Wi-Fi CERTIFIED programs, along with a list of certified products and Wi-Fi Direct Frequently Asked Questions, visit www.wi-fi.org/wi-fi_direct.php. About the Wi-Fi Alliance The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to the proliferation of Wi-Fi technology across devices and market segments. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, the Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi worldwide. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED TM program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality, and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi enabled products deliver the best user experience. The Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 8,000 product certifications to date, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets. 2010 Wi-Fi Alliance. All rights reserved. Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Alliance, WMM, Wi-Fi Protected Access, the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo, and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance; Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, Wi-Fi Protected Setup,Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Multimedia, and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance. 2010 Wi-Fi Alliance. All rights reserved. 5 of 6