Intel and the wireless future: "What's next?"

Kirk Skaugen, senior vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group for Intel Corporation, took the stage at Computex 2015 in Taipei. His goal was to inform us about “what’s next”; not only within Intel, but also in our lives.

Kirk Skaugen said that Intel is not just a chip maker anymore, and he was probably right, as Intel is trying change our habitual lives now more than ever. It seems like the Internet of Things (IoT) era is closer than we thought, and Intel might be one of the major companies to play a role in boosting its arrival.

Kirk Skaugen, senior vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group for Intel Corporation

According to Intel, by 2020 over 50 billion devices will compute and connect. This will generate 20 billion times more data than stars in the Milky Way. That’s a huge number, but we are not only talking about smartphones, computers or wearables. Even things like a mug or a vase will be connected and “smart” soon.

Intel, along with its partners, is already thinking about how to handle this amount of data and how to address future consumer needs. The Internet of Things is no longer an icon, it’s real. We can easily see more and more companies showing interest in bringing the new era to us. Just to give you an idea, the Open Interconnect Consortium which was created last year already has more than 80 members.

So, what does the future look like? Intel introduced some new solutions to make our lives more comfortable.

The real sense technology

Intel real sense technology isn’t really new, but it’s always nice to see how big companies cooperate and really try to make our lives simpler. Thanks to the new camera and Windows 10, soon we will be able to use our face as a recognition tool. And not only to unlock Windows, but also to get instant access to all password-protected websites, banks accounts, e-mails etc.

No more passwords, no more worries. Biometric authentication is faster, simpler and more secure than standard passwords.

The way we input data will also change. Traditional mice and keyboard will be exchanged with voice and gesture control. This will allow us to interact with our PCs in more natural ways.

No more wires

Wireless charging technology for smartphones has been on the market for quite some time now, yet it still isn’t something very popular among users. Regardless, Intel thinks that soon we won’t need any cables at all. And we don’t exclusively refer to charging needs; connecting displays, sending data and docking will soon be all wireless.

A great example of how our lives could be improved was shown in a demo. Simply put your tablet, laptop or wearable device anywhere on the table and it will start charging. This technology is great not only for in-home use, but also for airports, restaurants or hotels. Right now Intel, under the name of Alliance for Wireless Power, is cooperating with many partners to bring this technology to consumers.

What’s new?

Intel Unite

Intel introduced a new solution for business, which will be much more productive and cost efficient. According to Intel, companies are losing millions of dollars every year, all due to workers struggling with cables and connection problems during conferences and meetings.

Time is money. New Intel Core processor-based mini PCs with Intel Unite software will help overcome this problem and connect people wirelessly, not only in the same meeting room, but also from another part of the world. Sharing screens; exchange of data; making presentations; all of those things will be simpler than ever.

5th generation Intel Core Processors with Iris Pro graphics, 6th generation Intel Core later this year.

Another big announcement revolves around 5th-gen Core processors. 10 new 5th-gen processors with Iris Pro graphics were presented. All these powerful units should be already available in the market. Intel is aiming for hardcore gamers and content creators who need lots of power. How much faster are they? Intel promised an up to 100% boost in your gaming experience.

The 6th generation Intel Core “Skylake” processors were also confirmed. They are scheduled for release later this year. Sadly, not much more was revealed.