Back in January 2021, it was reported that Samsung was in talks with a raft of carmakers to extend digital key functionality into the Galaxy S21 series. It seems the partnership has been successful as the Samsung Galaxy smartphones sporting the Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology are now capable of functioning as digital car keys. With this feature, Galaxy smartphone users that have the UWB will be able to lock, unlock and start some cars using their smartphones.

The UWB technology seems a game-changer in the tech industry, given its expanding applications to diverse fields from smart tags to smartphones and even smart home appliances. It is a short-range wireless communication protocol and uses radio waves for connectivity similar to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, although at a much higher frequency. The UWB brings greater precision and connectivity options to smartphones and other devices that make use of it, thus far better than Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

The UWB will make it possible to users to lock and unlock their cars, start the engine, and do a few more tasks. As stated in the January report, the digital key functionality makes it possible for the owner to share access to his car with a third party, even with the possibility of setting a time limit on how long the shared digital key will work. The first vehicle to have this feature is the Genesis V60 electric vehicle in Korea by the turn of the year.

The UWB is already present in the Galaxy S21+, S21 Ultra, Z Fold 2, Z Fold 3 and Note 20 Ultra. It will likely be a key feature in Samsung’s subsequent flagship models, going forward. It is also likely that the cars that can have the digital key functionality will be expanded to cover some of the popular brands.

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