Expo conference sessions suggest Apple 802.11n Wi-Fi launch

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Apple is expected to announce its adoption of the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi standard under the AirPort Extreme X2 and X4 brands, according to a summary of a series of sessions on wireless networking that will take place at this week's Macworld Expo in San Francisco.

In his introduction to the sessions, Bill Wiecking, education manager at Volcano Wireless, says that 'wireless networking is about to undergo major changes, with 802.11n, or Airport Extreme X2 and X4'.

Apple's current AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express products use the 802.11g standard, although the latest MacBooks, MacBook Pros and iMacs are said to include 802.11n-compatible hardware, although they lack the necessary software. The faster technology is also thought to be a component of the forthcoming 'iTV' wireless TV interface.

Although some companies have introduced 802.11n hardware, the standard has yet to be ratified, with final approval not expected until January 2008. If Apple is to join them, then it must be gambling that any changes made before then can be addressed by a simple firmware or software update.

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