Infineon Releases Ultra-Low-Power, Wi-Fi 7 IoT 20 MHz Tri-Radio Family of SoCs

Infineon Technologies has released the AIROC ACW741x product family, a tri-radio system-on-chip (SoC) family that implements Wi-Fi 7 optimized exclusively for 20 MHz channel operation in IoT applications. The device integrates Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth LE 6.0 with Channel Sounding, and IEEE 802.15.4 Thread connectivity with Matter ecosystem support, targeting the growing market of battery-constrained connected devices.

Infineon has designed the AIROC ACW741x product family to prioritize power efficiency over bandwidth. Rather than implementing a scalable design supporting multiple channel widths, Infineon engineered the chipset specifically for 20 MHz operation. This approach enables the device to maintain Wi-Fi network connectivity at 70 µW in standby mode, extending battery life in smart IoT devices such as security cameras, smart door locks, and thermostats.

Infineon’s AIROC ACW741x Wi-Fi 7 IoT 20 MHz tri-radio family integrates Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth LE 6.0, and 802.15.4 technologies. Image used courtesy of Infineon

Multi-Link Operation for Congested Environments

The AIROC ACW741x family implements Wi-Fi 7 multi-link operation, allowing devices to maintain concurrent connections across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands. This capability enables adaptive band switching based on channel congestion and interference levels, providing more deterministic behavior in dense deployment scenarios common to smart home and industrial environments. The device can rapidly establish connections on the least congested band without the traditional disconnect-reconnect cycle required when switching between fixed-band connections.

The timing of this product aligns with the Wi-Fi Alliance’s recent extension of Wi-Fi Certified 7 capabilities to 20 MHz-only devices. This certification path enables IoT implementations to leverage Wi-Fi 7 MAC-layer intelligence while maintaining the reduced complexity and power characteristics inherent to narrowband designs. For applications requiring low data rates and small payload sizes, the 20 MHz approach offers improved link reliability in congested environments while concentrating signal energy for better coverage at the network edge.

Block diagram of the AIROC ACW741x wireless connectivity family. Image used courtesy of Infineon

Integration and Sensing Capabilities

The ACW741x incorporates on-chip power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, power management circuitry, and radio switches, housed in a QFN package. This integration level allows system designers to implement Wi-Fi 7 connectivity using two-layer PCBs, reducing overall system cost and complexity. The device supports wireless sensing via Wi-Fi 7 channel state information and Bluetooth Channel Sounding, enabling contextual awareness functions such as presence detection, vital sign monitoring, fall detection, secure access ranging, and device localization.

Bluetooth LE 6.0 implementation includes Channel Sounding for precise ranging and proximity detection, while the IEEE 802.15.4 radio supports Thread protocol operation within Matter-compatible smart home ecosystems. The tri-radio architecture addresses the increasing prevalence of multi-protocol use cases in IoT deployments, where devices require simultaneous support for local mesh networking, Bluetooth peripherals, and Wi-Fi infrastructure connectivity.

The ACW741x product family aims to deliver ultra-low power consumption in a wide range of smart IoT devices in smart-home, industrial, and commercial environments. Image used courtesy of Infineon

Availability and Ecosystem Support

The ACW741x family is currently sampling with hardware and software development kits available through Infineon’s distribution channels. The company has established partnerships with module manufacturers Azurewave, Ezurio, Murata, and Quectel to provide pre-certified modules for easier integration into end products. Infineon is positioning pricing to be comparable to existing Wi-Fi 6 IoT solutions, facilitating adoption in cost-sensitive applications.

Infineon’s release represents a strategic focus on power optimization for always-connected IoT devices that spend the majority of their operational time in idle states. By optimizing exclusively for 20 MHz operation and integrating multiple wireless protocols, the ACW741x addresses key requirements for battery-powered smart home devices, industrial sensors, medical equipment, and HVAC systems that require reliable connectivity in increasingly congested RF environments. The combination of Wi-Fi 7 multi-link robustness with sub-100 µW standby power positions the device for applications where both connection reliability and battery longevity are critical design constraints.