802.11az – the one that knew exactly where you were
802.11az isn’t about faster downloads – it’s about knowing **where stuff is**. this amendment brought **Next-Generation Positioning (NGP)** to Wi-Fi. released around 2022, it's designed to upgrade location services for modern applications: think smarter indoor navigation, asset tracking, AR overlays, or just finding your lost earbuds with freaky precision.
there’s no specific "Task Group az" name in the standard sources, but the mission was clear: make Wi-Fi positioning **faster, more accurate, and more flexible**.
how’d they do that?
- Fine Timing Measurement (FTM) upgrades: 802.11az builds on 802.11mc's FTM (aka Wi-Fi RTT), but adds better timing resolution and support for **multi-AP measurements**
- HE and EHT aware: designed to work over newer PHYs like 802.11ax (HE) and 802.11be (EHT), so positioning isn’t limited by legacy tech
- Secure Location: includes mechanisms to authenticate and validate position data – critical for industrial use cases
- NGP report formats: new frame structures allow STAs to receive richer location context (uncertainty, confidence, velocity, etc.)
this amendment is part of **IEEE Std 802.11-2020** and gets folded into the bigger Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) picture. it’s about **context awareness** – letting your device understand space, not just data.
802.11az gave Wi-Fi **spatial awareness**. not GPS-style sky-based tracking – but tight, reliable, real-world indoor location built into your access point. next-gen apps need context, and az delivers.