In September, Sony announced the advanced version of its PlayStation gaming console, dubbed the PS5 Pro. Compared to the regular PS5, the PS5 Pro offers improved graphics, ray-tracing, and an AI-driven upscaling mechanism that adds details to frames. While the PS5 Pro became available for international buyers on November 7, 2024, unfortunately, it won’t be available in India anytime soon.
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PS5 Pro Isn’t Coming To In India, And Wi-Fi 7 Is To Blame
According to a report by Financial Express, the PS5 Pro won’t be available in India. In an exclusive statement to the publication, Sony India has confirmed that the latest gaming console won’t debut in the country due to government restrictions on the “6GHz wireless band used in IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7).”
What Is Wi-Fi 7 Anyway?
For those catching up, Wi-Fi 7 is the latest wireless data transmission/reception protocol with significantly faster speeds and lower latency. In 2024, a good amount of devices already support this technology to facilitate the user with higher upload/download speeds. Moreover, Wi-Fi 7 is the next step in wireless data reception, which can be customized for both personal and commercial use.
Why Is Wi-Fi 7 Important For PS5 Pro?
As to how this affects the gaming industry, where the PS5 Pro enters as the new benchmark, Wi-Fi 7 unlocks higher bandwidth, which, in turn, helps professionals and enthusiasts alike. While faster wireless speeds could help with streaming, they could also help regular gamers download their favorite games in less time, reducing the need for and reliance on hardware storage.
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Indian Regulatory Bodies Are Yet To Finalize The 6GHz Allotment
As mentioned above, Indian regulators haven’t decided upon the use of the Wi-Fi 7 protocol over the 6GHz band. Most recently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has delayed finalizing the allotment and use cases for the technology amid the rising cases due to the rising conflict between telecom companies and technology firms.
Telecom Operators vs. Tech Giants: Who Wants What?
While telecom operators want the 6GHz spectrum to expand their 5G services, tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft want it to be used for Wi-Fi services. Meanwhile, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which is currently using the 6GHz band for satellite communication, has advised against allocating to telecom services.
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Could Sony Still Release PS5 Pro Without Wi-Fi 7?
In the prevalent chaos, gaming enthusiasts and professionals were excited to try the new PS5 Pro that is being affected. In theory, Wi-Fi 7 devices are backward compatible with Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5 protocols, implying that PS5 Pro could still be in India. However, this could be a deliberate call by Sony, which probably wants to provide the best possible gaming experience, wherein Wi-Fi connectivity plays a key role.
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