The official release dates of Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6, and Wi-Fi 7 (as per the IEEE standardization and Wi-Fi Alliance naming conventions) are as follows:
- Wi-Fi 4 (IEEE 802.11n):
- Standard Finalized: October 2009
- Wi-Fi 4 is the designation given to the IEEE 802.11n standard, which significantly improved upon previous Wi-Fi standards by introducing technologies like MIMO and increased data rates.
- Wi-Fi 5 (IEEE 802.11ac):
- Standard Finalized: January 2014 (Wave 1), December 2013 (Wave 2)
- Wi-Fi 5 refers to the IEEE 802.11ac standard, which enhanced Wi-Fi performance further by introducing features like wider channel bandwidth and support for additional spatial streams.
- Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax):
- Standard Finalized: September 2019
- Wi-Fi 6, known technically as IEEE 802.11ax, brought significant advancements in efficiency, especially in crowded environments, and introduced technologies like OFDMA and Target Wake Time (TWT).
- Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be):
- Expected Finalization: As of my last update in April 2023, Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be) was still in development, with finalization expected around 2024.
- Wi-Fi 7 is expected to offer further improvements in terms of data rates, latency, and efficiency, continuing the evolution of Wi-Fi technology.
These release dates mark important milestones in the development of Wi-Fi technology, with each new generation bringing enhancements that have enabled faster speeds, greater capacity, and more efficient network performance.