Goodix Technology has released its first NB-IoT system-on-chip (SoC).

The GR851x series supports 3GPP releases14 and 15 standards. Integrating a low-power Open CPU application system, it delivers stability and security, providing a cellular IoT device for diverse applications such as smart cities, consumer electronics, Industry 4.0 and smart agriculture

From silicon to networks and devices, the NB-IoT ecosystem is developing rapidly, and can be applied to a wide range of low-power, deep coverage and massive IoT scenarios including smart meters, wireless smoke detectors, smart street lamps and livestock management.

According to a white paper from Counterpoint Research, over 1.2 billion NB-IoT connections are expected globally by 2025, accounting for around a third of all cellular IoT connections.

Focusing on this trillion-dollar global IoT market, Chinese company Goodix has invested strongly in recent years, developing core technologies such as cellular communications, RF design and low-power architecture into the GR851x series.

Stable and reliable data connections are the cornerstones of cellular IoT applications. The communication processing subsystem owned by Goodix is said to provide stable communication and reliable data transmission, even under poor network conditions. Goodix’s technology has already been certificated by China Mobile, China Telecom and Deutsche Telekom, and the firm plans further certifications from other major global operators.

Large-scale IoT applications demand fast development cycles. With its Open CPU dual AP/CP core architecture, the GR851x integrates an Arm Cortex-M4F core along with on-chip resources, eliminating the need for an external MCU. Furthermore, Goodix provides a toolset that is said to simplify application design, accelerate time-to-market and improve overall development cost.

Hardware and software combine to form security for protecting IoT devices. The ground-up developed security subsystem provides a comprehensive security mechanism, supporting OSCCA and Deutsche Telekom’s NuSIM security offerings. In addition, simple and easy-to-use APIs can be customised and adapted to various security platforms.

“NB-IoT is one of the core technologies in the massive IoT industry in the 5G era,” said Sandy Hu, president of Goodix Technology. “The company’s newly launched solution will deliver great value to the global IoT ecosystem. The breakthrough illustrates our determination and capabilities to extend our target market from consumer electronics, to further, broader markets including internet of things.”

The NB-IoT SoC has entered the commercial promotion stage and is expected to be mass produced before the end of this year.