What’s the difference between Multipeer Connectivity and the new WiFi Awareness framework
Asked on 2025-06-28
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The main difference between Multipeer Connectivity and the new Wi-Fi Awareness framework lies in their approach to device connectivity and the underlying technology they use.
Multipeer Connectivity:
- Multipeer Connectivity is a framework that allows for the creation of peer-to-peer connections between nearby devices without requiring an internet connection. It is typically used for local networking tasks such as file sharing, gaming, and collaborative applications.
- It operates over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and peer-to-peer Wi-Fi, automatically choosing the best available connection method.
Wi-Fi Awareness:
- Wi-Fi Awareness, introduced as Wi-Fi Aware, is a new framework that enables direct device-to-device communication using Wi-Fi technology. It is designed for high-speed, low-latency connections and can operate alongside regular Wi-Fi connections, allowing devices to stay connected to the internet while using Wi-Fi Aware.
- Wi-Fi Aware is a global standard maintained by the Wi-Fi Alliance, making it cross-platform interoperable and adoptable by any device manufacturer.
- It supports high throughput and low latency, making it suitable for media streaming, high-speed file transfer, accessory control, and screen sharing.
- Wi-Fi Aware connections are fully authenticated and encrypted at the Wi-Fi layer, and the framework handles security protocols automatically.
For more details on Wi-Fi Aware, you can refer to the session Supercharge device connectivity with Wi-Fi Aware (01:01).
Supercharge device connectivity with Wi-Fi Aware
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