NearLink wireless technology accelerates commercial scaling

NearLink, a new generation of wireless short-range communication technology, is rapidly transitioning toward large-scale commercial use. According to the International NearLink Wireless Short-Range Communication Alliance, the alliance has grown to 1,264 member units, and NearLink chips have reached cumulative shipments exceeding 380 million units.

NearLink is designed as a fundamental technology that reconstructs the underlying layers of traditional wireless communication. It offers characteristics such as low latency, high bandwidth, high reliability, and high security. The technology includes various modes: SLE (competing with Bluetooth), SLB (competing with WiFi), SLP (competing with UWB), and the developing SLZ (similar to NFC).

Application scenarios for NearLink span several key sectors:

• Personal Consumer Products: Including mice, keyboards, game controllers, laptops, watches, and audio devices. • Automotive: Enabling digital car keys, with over 800,000 units sold in related models last year. • Smart Home: Powering appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners. • Industrial Manufacturing: Supporting unmanned operations in sectors like power and coal mining.

The alliance aims to expand the ecosystem into embodied intelligence, where high connection density and reliability are critical for robotic systems. The goal is to establish NearLink as a global infrastructure technology, with a target of shipping at least 1 billion NearLink chips by 2030.