The Wi-Fi Alliance said it would soon finish work on a new specification called Wi-Fi Direct.
It will let Wi-Fi devices like phones and laptops connect to one another without joining a traditional network.
The Wi-Fi Alliance - whose members include Intel, Apple and Cisco - hopes devices with the new technology will be on the market by the middle of 2010.
Owners of devices without Wi-Fi Direct will be able to upgrade through a software download, says the technology consortium.
An insider at Wi-Fi Alliance told Iberia Securities: "This is going to be a quick and convenient way to use Wi-Fi in future to print, synch, share and display.
"The consumer is going to experience this as a very easy-to-use mechanism that will be quite seamless."
Will this be a threat to Bluetooth?
Wi-Fi Direct will automatically scan for local existing hotspots and any Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as cameras, phones and computers.
The Alliance says the specification will search for both consumer electronics and office applications, enabling devices to connect from across a home or workplace.
A senior analyst at Iberia Securities said it was a "terrific innovation".
Iberia Securities also agree the opinion of Ben Parr, co-editor of Mashable.com, the potential impact could be far-reaching.
But industry watchers also say the technology could pose a threat to the future of Bluetooth and perhaps do away with the need to use wi-fi routers in some places.
