Looking to provide easier wireless connectivity, the Wi-Fi Alliance has announced that it is working on WiFi Direct, a new specification which will will enable WiFi-ready devices to connect to one another without having to join a router or hotspot.

Codenamed 'Wi-Fi peer-to-peer', the spec could be used for anything from phones to notebooks, cameras, printers, and peripherals, aka pretty much everything that relies on Bluetooth for making direct wireless links. WiFi Direct devices will be able to make one-to-one connections, or connect simultaneously as part of a group.

"Wi-Fi Direct represents a leap forward for our industry. Wi-Fi users worldwide will benefit from a single-technology solution to transfer content and share applications quickly and easily among devices, even when a Wi-Fi access point isn't available," said Wi-Fi Alliance executive director Edgar Figueroa. "The impact is that Wi-Fi will become even more pervasive and useful for consumers and across the enterprise."

WiFi Direct supports the current WiFi ranges and data rates, it includes WPA2 security, and aslso provides management features for enterprise environments.

The Wi-Fi Alliance is planning to start certification for the WiFi Direct specification in mid-2010.