In addition to unveiling its new 5G modem for smartphones and the Snapdragon Wear Elite chip for Galaxy Watches, Qualcomm announced a new mobile connectivity system at Mobile World Congress 2026. It is called the FastConnect 8800, and it brings advanced wireless technologies to future smartphones, tablets, and laptops.Qualcomm FastConnect 8800 brings advanced connectivity to phones and tabletsThe Qualcomm FastConnect 8800 is the world’s first mobile connectivity chip to feature a 4×4 Wi-Fi radio, enabling data transfer speeds exceeding 10Gbps. It includes built-in Wi-Fi 8 support, which Qualcomm claims delivers up to twice the performance of Wi-Fi 7 found in newer devices such as the Galaxy S27. The chip also integrates Bluetooth 7.0, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and Thread 1.5.This connectivity system is expected to debut alongside the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series for smartphones and tablets later this year, and with next-generation Snapdragon X processors for laptops and PCs next year. Wi-Fi 8Wi-Fi 8, also known as 802.11bn Ultra High Reliability, focuses on improving connection stability rather than simply increasing peak speeds. In large environments, devices often experience slowdowns or instability when transitioning between Wi-Fi access points, such as in a mesh network. Wi-Fi 8 addresses this issue through Single Mobility Domains, which help maintain low latency and more consistent connections as devices move between access points. This results in fewer interruptions and smoother performance.Bluetooth 7.0Although the Bluetooth Special Interest Group has not yet formally finalized Bluetooth 7.0, Qualcomm says the upcoming standard introduces Bluetooth High Data Throughput technology, increasing maximum transfer speeds from 2Mbps to 7.5Mbps. The FastConnect 8800 also supports Bluetooth LE Audio, along with aptX, aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, and aptX Voice codecs for improved audio quality.Thread 1.5 Thread is a networking protocol used by Matter-certified smart home devices. With native support for Thread 1.5, the FastConnect 8800 is compatibile with several types of devices. So, phones and tablets with this system can control those types of smart home devices.Matter 1.5 supports cameras, soil moisture sensors, and window coverings, in addition to previously supported products like air conditioners, cooktops, dishwashers, door locks, energy storage systems, heaters, heat pumps, home security sensors, lights, microwaves and ovens, plugs, robotic vacuum cleaners, routers, solar systems, switches, and washing machines.The post Future Galaxy phones and laptops could have Wi-Fi 8, Bluetooth 7, and Thread appeared first on SamMobile.