Physics, that wonderful little world where radio lives, is, of course, all about opposing forces-four, to be precise, one of which is electromagnetism. The world of wireless is also governed by two additional forces that are fundamentally cooperative with each other, rather than in opposition. These are the two forces that really make wireless, as we know it today, possible.

The first is innovation-the new, different, faster, better, cheaper that tech is known for. Just consider a few of these-ultrawideband, near-field communications, MIMO, meshes-and it's truly amazing that the rate of innovation remains so high. Innovation is the world of tinkerers, inventors, startups and venture capitalists.

At the other end, however, is an equally important force: consolidation. Useful point products that result from innovation typically don't last long. They're integrated into products with broader levels of function and performance. Wireless-LAN switches, for example, aren't just switches; they're security and network management engines as well. Consolidation tends to belong to larger manufacturing firms as well as investment bankers, but startups sometimes play here as well.

Predicting the future of high tech is easy if one simply considers these two elements. Wireless-LAN clients are showing up in cell phones. Location and tracking technologies are being consolidated in WLAN systems. And new chips result from the convergence of functions that used to take many separate components. This is perhaps the most important consolidation, because it fundamentally changes the cost structures of entire industries. Integration goes up, costs come down and businesses not on the current price/performance curve get damaged, sometimes quite badly.

Faster/better/cheaper is always at work. As we can see, at least in wireless, with regard to innovation there's no end in sight. And as long as one remains on the current price, performance and cost curves, the process benefits not just customers and users, but suppliers as well.

Craig Mathias, principal of Farpoint Group (Ashland, Mass.).