Android offers a mobile hotspot option that other phones can connect to. This can be quite handy during emergencies when the other device doesn’t have network connectivity. However, one caveat is that the default settings won’t give you the best speeds. The reason for this is that by default, Android creates a hotspot using the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, omitting the 6GHz frequency that most newer devices support. This impacts the WiFi performance . Well, that may be changing soon as Google is about to add a new WiFi hotspot option, reportedly.
Android may get a new WiFi hotspot option that combines speed and compatibility
The omission of 6GHz is understandable, as most devices can’t connect to 6GHz WiFi networks anyway. In regions like the US, regulations also previously prohibited smartphones from creating 6GHz WiFi hotspots. As things are changing now, with many devices now supporting 6GHz WiFi and recent regulatory changes allowing the use of this frequency for mobile hotspots, Google recently updated its Pixel phones.
This update unlocked the 6GHz frequency for WiFi hotspots. Pixel users can now create a 6GHz WiFi hotspot by going to Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering > WiFi hotspot > Speed & compatibility and selecting the”6GHz option” under “Preferred frequency.”
Best of both worlds
The 6GHz band delivers faster speeds in comparison to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands due to wider channels. However, it suffers from a shorter range because objects more easily block the higher-frequency waves. Some legacy devices right away lack support for 6GHz WiFi entirely. These are notable tradeoffs for Pixel users.
Google’s solution to this problem is a new WiFi hotspot option that brings together the “best of both worlds.” It combines the 2.4GHz band’s broad compatibility with the 6GHz band’s superior speeds. In the latest Android Canary release, Google has added a “2.4 and 6GHz” option to the “Speed & compatibility” settings page. This option reportedly promises the “fastest speeds” of the standalone 6GHz option while maintaining compatibility with legacy devices through the 2.4GHz band.
Considering the option is live in the latest Canary build, it may find its way in the near future. Hopefully, we may see it in the Android 16 QPR3 beta release.
