January 1, 2026
Location tech or hype location?
Ultra-Wide Band: A Transformational Technology for the Internet of Things
UWB promises smart magic, commenters call it a sales pitch
TLDR: UWB claims to give gadgets precise, secure location for smarter doors, TVs, and payments. Commenters torched the post as marketing fluff with tiny real-world gains and pricey hardware, arguing the “premium” label hides radio tech that’s not new, and demanding proof it truly solves everyday problems.
The article sells Ultra‑wideband as the missing superpower for smart gadgets: phones and key fobs that know exactly where you are, thermostats that pre‑cool like a butler, TVs that pick up your show the moment you sit. It explains in simple terms how UWB times tiny radio pulses to measure distance within about 4 inches, and claims stronger security for car keys and payments by scrambling each session’s signals. Sounds slick—until the comments roll in.
The thread reads like a roast. One user drops the mic with “Infineon sales piece,” another says it’s “very light on information and full of praise,” and the sharpest jab: “Premium technology? It’s just a frequency band.” The “Imagine:” examples got dunked on as minuscule benefits—essentially “your TV remembers you” is not the revolution fans wanted. Someone flagged that UWB’s branding is confusing (“hello, IEEE alphabet soup”), and that developer boards are still pricey, which makes the future feel more like a luxury demo than everyday life.
There were jokes about “premium” meaning “premium price,” and eye‑rolls at yet another smart door moment. Still, the core promise—better anti‑relay protection for keyless cars and truly secure tap‑to‑pay—kept the spark alive. But today’s vibe? More hype than help, with the community asking for demos, not adjectives.
Key Points
- •IoT is projected to reach 40 billion connected devices by 2030, increasing the need for spatial awareness in addition to connectivity.
- •UWB operates in the 3.1–10.6 GHz band, with channel 9 (8 GHz center) widely used, using 2 ns impulse radio pulses.
- •UWB measures distance via Time‑of‑Flight and precise Time of Arrival, achieving approximately ±10 cm accuracy.
- •Security in UWB ranging relies on signal propagation physics and a cryptographic Scrambled Timestamp Sequence with dynamic session keys.
- •UWB supports secure, touchless applications such as access control and payments, aiding digitalization and improved user experiences.