How Wi-Fi Direct Works As A Gateway To The Internet Of Things

Wi-Fi Direct is an emerging wireless standard that allows you to create a create a connection between any two devices without going through a wireless router. Want to create a Wi-Fi hotspot, connect your computer or smartphone to your printer or stream movies from your tablet to your television? There is a good chance that Wi-Fi Direct is doing the heavy lifting.

Seems simple, right? Well, the basic concept is not all that complex. Wi-Fi Direct has been commercially viable since about 2010. The standard is now starting to mature and be adopted by gadgets everywhere, like new smartphones, digital accessories like set-top television boxes (or “smart” TVs) and automobile vehicle systems. Wi-Fi Direct is creating new capabilities to share media, such as how Apple uses AirDrop to transfer pictures, documents, music and video from one user to another on its Mac OS X computers and iPhone/iPads running the new iOS 7.