A new feature of Wi-Fi could help people find both each other and things nearby, without being near a hotspot.

The group that puts the Wi-Fi badge on phones, laptops and countless other gadgets is starting to certify products for Wi-Fi Aware, a way for apps to make their presence known to devices nearby. Because it’s peer to peer, the system works anywhere there’s more than one Wi-Fi Aware device.

For example, if two people have the same game on their phones, the game could use Wi-Fi Aware to figure out that they’re in the same room and let them play against each other. Or a device near a painting in the basement of a museum could automatically send information about the art to visitors walking by.

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