The wireless connectivity market is entering a new phase as intelligence moves beyond traditional computing devices and into physical infrastructure. Security cameras, energy systems, smart buildings, and connected sensors are becoming increasingly intelligent, creating demand for networks that can reach farther, operate efficiently, and support devices at scale.
A new ABI Research report points to significant growth opportunities for Wi-Fi HaLow (IEEE 802.11ah), a Wi-Fi standard designed to address these connectivity requirements.
According to ABI Research's October 2026 Wi-Fi HaLow Market Assessment Report, the global serviceable addressable market (SAM) for Wi-Fi HaLow is projected to grow from 27 million device shipments in 2026 to 296.4 million in 2031, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 61.5%. The broader total addressable market (TAM) across device categories relevant to Wi-Fi HaLow is expected to increase from 9.9 billion annual shipments in 2026 to 14.3 billion by 2031.
ABI Research Total Serviceable Market for Wi-Fi HaLow Devices World Markets, Forecast: 2025 to 2031
IoT and Intelligent Infrastructure Drive Growth
ABI Research identifies commercial IoT applications, smart homes and appliances, and Wi-Fi networking equipment as the three largest opportunities for Wi-Fi HaLow, collectively accounting for 97% of its projected serviceable addressable market in 2031.
Commercial IoT represents the largest segment, with the serviceable market for Wi-Fi HaLow-enabled devices forecast to grow from 7.6 million shipments in 2026 to 136 million in 2031.
Security cameras are evolving into intelligent endpoints capable of detecting and classifying activity. Energy systems increasingly depend on distributed monitoring, while smart meters, sensors, and building automation equipment generate operational data across environments where conventional wireless coverage can be difficult to maintain.
ABI Research forecasts particularly strong opportunities in outdoor security cameras, electronic shelf labels, smart metering, and other commercial IoT applications. Outdoor security cameras stand out, with a projected 125.9% CAGR for Wi-Fi HaLow-enabled device shipments between 2026 and 2031 and Wi-Fi HaLow penetration reaching 17.6% of the category by 2031.
These applications highlight a broader shift: intelligent infrastructure requires connectivity designed around where devices operate, not simply where traditional networks can reach.
Extending Wi-Fi Beyond Traditional Coverage
As the world's most ubiquitous wireless connectivity technology, Wi-Fi has transformed how people connect across homes, offices, and enterprises. Now, as intelligence moves into physical infrastructure, Wi-Fi must evolve to support longer distances, challenging building materials, outdoor environments, battery-powered devices, and large numbers of distributed endpoints.
Wi-Fi HaLow extends the established Wi-Fi ecosystem into these environments. Operating in sub-GHz spectrum, Wi-Fi HaLow combines long-range connectivity, improved signal penetration, low-power operation, meaningful bandwidth, and secure, native IP networking. It complements conventional Wi-Fi while addressing applications that require a different balance of coverage, power efficiency, and throughput.
ABI Research identifies two emerging application categories: higher-throughput devices such as security cameras, smart doorbells, and intercoms; and lower-data-rate devices such as sensors, smart meters, and electronic shelf labels that prioritize energy efficiency, coverage, and device capacity. This flexibility allows Wi-Fi HaLow to support a growing range of intelligent infrastructure applications rather than a single device category.
An Expanding Commercial Ecosystem
ABI Research also highlights the growing Wi-Fi HaLow ecosystem, supported by more than 20 module suppliers and an increasing number of device manufacturers developing compatible products. Field trials in North America, Japan, and Taiwan have demonstrated the technology's potential, while ongoing European trials are evaluating its capabilities under regional regulatory requirements.
As Wi-Fi HaLow becomes integrated into more gateways, routers, and access points, organizations can extend connectivity to additional applications using compatible infrastructure.
Connectivity Is the Foundation for Edge AI
The growth projected by ABI Research reflects a larger technology transition: intelligence is moving into the physical world. Edge AI enables cameras, sensors, energy systems, and industrial equipment to process information closer to where it is generated. But local intelligence does not eliminate the need for reliable communication. These devices still need to exchange information, deliver alerts, coordinate with other systems, and connect to management platforms.
At Morse Micro, we see this as a fundamental evolution in the role of Wi-Fi. The next chapter is not simply about connecting more people and devices. It is about extending secure, reliable connectivity to intelligent infrastructure wherever it operates.
Wi-Fi HaLow provides a standards-based wireless foundation for applications requiring greater reach, lower power consumption, and the ability to connect distributed endpoints across larger physical environments.
As Edge AI expands across buildings, energy systems, security, and industrial environments, the next phase of Wi-Fi will be shaped not only by faster connections, but by how effectively networks extend intelligence to the places where it is needed most.
