Matt MacPherson, CTO at Cisco, says 2026 could reveal a Wi-Fi 7 turning point.
Wi-Fi 7 has long been in the pipeline, but with notably low adoption rates (especially in the United States) it might not seem that way. But now, according to Cisco, the stars have finally aligned for Wi-Fi 7 with the perfect timing of 3 main things seeing a marked turning point. .
Cisco CTO Matt MacPherson believes 2026 will be the turning point for Wi-Fi 7 due to the alignment of:
- Market conditions
- Deployment readiness
- Customer Demand
Let’s take a look at each of these in turn to see what their convergence could mean for more widespread adoption of Wi-Fi 7.
How Are Market Conditions and Device Readiness Affecting Wi-Fi 7 Uptake?
Devices are ready now. Top of the range phones from the likes of Apple and Samsung were compatible with Wi-Fi 7 last year (2025). In 2026 we’ll start to see this more across the board, to include other devices like laptops. Devices bought now are more likely to have Wi-Fi 7 compatibility.
Can We Skip Wi-Fi 6E and Go Straight to Wi-Fi 7?
Wi-Fi 7 brings an essential refresh. Wi-Fi 6E unfortunately caused a degree of confusion, with many customers still using Wi-Fi 5 and wondering what the benefit was to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E or just wait for Wi-Fi 7. Cisco is starting to see a long overdue refresh already, now that enough Access Points (APs) are finally available. Customers are more than ready to go to the next technology. Any confusion about whether to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E is mopped up with the introduction of a new full generation – Wi-Fi 7.
Will Wi-Fi 7 Bring More Benefits to End Users?
The Wi-Fi 7 standard is set to be the most reliable generation yet. It’s jam-packed with features to provide a reliable connection, such as:
- Multi-Link Operation (MLO) – This allows devices to dynamically choose the best path by using multiple bands simultaneously
- Enhanced OFDMA and MU-MIMO – These provide more efficient resource allocation to handle more devices and data.
These features, sets of applications and services couldn’t be done before, resulting in a standard which expands the market for Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi 7 will grow its set of use cases, and should be able to handle the increased demand that will come with it. Cisco believes that everything is aligned for a big boom in the Wi-Fi market this year.
Here’s 3 Reasons Why Cisco Thinks 2026 Will be Wi-Fi 7’s Breakout Year
In conclusion, as 2026 unfolds Cisco sees 3 main things leading to the breakthrough that Wi-Fi 7 needs.
- Availability of Wi-Fi 7 devices removing the barrier to wider adoption of the standard
- An increase in scale with a fresh demand is leading to a Wi-Fi standard refresh and deployment readiness
- Redefining what Wi-Fi can support realistically with new architectural features will mean Wi-Fi 7 devices can meet customer demand and expectations
