Raspberry Pi has announced the new Pico W that is an exact copy of the original Pico except with the addition of 802.11 Wi-Fi connectivity, a feature that will significantly enhance the utility of this board. Available for just $6, it features 21mm x 51mm form factor and the RP2040 microcontroller. Moreover, the radio circuitry is encapsulated in a metal shield to reduce compliance costs for the customers’ end products.
The component bringing wireless connectivity to the Pico is an Infineon CYW43439 which includes IEEE 802.11 b/g/n MAC, baseband, and radio circuitry. The wireless SoC also integrates a power amplifier (PA) that meets the output power requirements of most handheld systems as well as a low-noise amplifier (LNA) for improved receiver sensitivity.
In addition to the mentioned Wi-Fi standards, the CYW43439 also supports Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth Low Energy. While Bluetooth connectivity is not currently activated on the Pico W board, Raspberry Pi may include this functionality in future versions.
