What’s the Relationship Between WiDi and Wireless Screen Mirroring? This Article Explains It All
When searching for information about wireless screen mirroring, you may come across a technology called WiDi. What exactly is the connection and difference between them? This article will explain it in the simplest way possible.
1. WiDi: A Former Pioneer
WiDi, short for Wireless Display, is a wireless display technology launched by Intel. In its early days, it was mainly used in laptops equipped with Intel Core processors and specific wireless network cards, allowing users to wirelessly transmit their computer screens to TVs.
2. Miracast: A Unified Industry Standard
Due to fragmented technical standards among different manufacturers, user experiences were inconsistent. To address this, the Wi-Fi Alliance introduced Miracast—an open, universal industry standard. Similar to WiDi in working principle, it also relies on Wi-Fi Direct technology to enable peer-to-peer direct connection between devices.
3. From WiDi to Miracast: Technological Integration and Evolution
Here’s a simple way to understand their relationship: WiDi is the “predecessor” or “early version” of Miracast.
- Proprietary vs. Open: WiDi was Intel’s proprietary technology, while Miracast is an open industry standard.
- Replacement and Unification: As the Miracast standard matured and became popular, Intel recognized the cost and benefit issues of maintaining a proprietary technology. Eventually, it announced the end of WiDi updates and fully shifted to supporting Miracast.
In short, WiDi has been replaced by Miracast. Today, the wireless screen mirroring functions in Android phones and Windows computers are basically based on the Miracast protocol. Understanding this history can help you better grasp the development of screen mirroring technology.