Sony Corp., a leading maker of consumer electronics, unveiled its new close proximity wireless transfer technology called TransferJet. The new method of data transfer will allow wireless devices of Sony to transfer data to or from each other at a really high speed provided that they are very close to each other. However, with open-standard Wireless USB incoming, the future of TransferJet is not completely clear.

TransferJet’s physical layer transmission rate is 560Mbps, and even allowing for error corrections and protocol overheads, the effective physical layer transmission rate is 375Mbps. TransferJet is also capable of selecting the appropriate data transmission rate according to the wireless environment. Even if the conditions for transmission deteriorate, it will maintain the highest possible wireless connectivity by automatically lowering the data transmission rate. Unfortunately, communication distance of Sony’s TransferJet is just three centimeters.

Wireless USB, which is developed by a group of companies, is a wireless personal interconnect technology combining the speed and security of wired high-speed USB with the ease-of-use-of wireless technology. It allows users to connect up to 127 devices and currently delivers a bandwidth of up to 480Mb/s at 3 meters and 110Mb/s at 10 meters. Wireless USB is based on the WiMedia Alliance Ultra-wideband Common Radio Platform (UWB) and works at 6GHz and higher frequencies, while Sony’s TransferJet operates at 4.48GHz. Considering the capabilities of wireless USB, it is uncertain whether and why end-users would use the TransferJet technology instead of the open-standard.

According to Sony, TransferJet provides a true ease of use: people just need to touch the devices with each other to authorize data transfer.

“Sony will actively promote the use of TransferJet across the consumer electronics industry and seek to enhance the enjoyment of mobile device-based content through the introduction of various products and services based on this technology,” a statement by the company reads.

Sony did not say when TransferJet-enabled devices are due on the market commercially.