Glossary
Ultra-wideband (UWB)
A short-range radio technology that measures position with centimeter precision by timing pulses across a wide frequency spectrum. Used for AirTag-class trackers, car-as-key, and spatial computing.
UWB transmits very brief pulses across 500+ MHz of spectrum (6.5 or 8 GHz center). Receivers measure pulse arrival time differences to compute position to ~10 cm accuracy.
Use cases
- Item trackers. AirTag, Tile Pro UWB — precision-find a wallet in a couch.
- Phone-as-car-key. BMW Digital Key, Apple CarKey. Detects you approaching, unlocks; presence-based starting.
- Smart-home presence. Room-level awareness (HomePod handoff, smart lights).
- Spatial audio. Some AR systems use UWB anchors for sub-cm localization.
In 2026 phones
iPhone 11+ has UWB (Apple U1/U2). Samsung S20 Ultra+ and Pixel 6 Pro+ have UWB. Mid-range phones still lack it.
Where this matters
Categories that use ultra-wideband (uwb)
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