Dell'Oro says memory shortages could bring Wi-Fi 8 forward to 2027
Dell'Oro Group says enterprise Wi-Fi 8 could arrive in 2027 if vendors redesign access points to reduce reliance on DDR4 memory chips.
Dell'Oro Group said memory chip shortages and higher component costs could push enterprise-class Wi-Fi 8 introductions to 2027, rather than a later rollout window.
Dell'Oro said faster access point redesigns that reduce dependence on the highest-cost memory components could improve price competitiveness and encourage an earlier move to Wi-Fi 8.
The announcement was dated Aug. 4, 2026, and was published from Redwood City, Calif. It said the outlook comes from the Wireless LAN 5-Year July 2026 Forecast Report, which covers enterprise outdoor and indoor markets, wireless LAN controllers, manufacturer revenue, average selling prices and unit shipments across several Wi-Fi generations.
According to the release, the report includes Wi-Fi 8, Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 4 and older IEEE 802.11 standards. Dell'Oro Group, which describes itself as a market research firm focused on telecommunications, security, enterprise networks and data center infrastructure markets, said the forecast also breaks out the enterprise market by cloud-managed and premises-managed systems and by macro region.
Siân Morgan, senior director at Dell'Oro Group, said Wi-Fi 7 revenue is expected to grow in triple digits in 2026. Morgan also said enterprise-class Wi-Fi 7 is expected to generate more revenue in its peak year than Wi-Fi 6E generated over its full lifecycle.
The release did not give a firm launch date for Wi-Fi 8, but it said the memory shortage could shift vendor plans and speed redesign work. Dell'Oro framed that as a business decision tied to component availability and cost rather than a standards change.
What comes next will depend on how hardware makers respond to the memory market and how quickly they can redesign access points. The forecast announcement did not include a timetable for vendor product launches beyond the possibility of a 2027 introduction.
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Editorial note: This article was prepared with AI assistance and includes source attribution for reader review.
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