Nordic Semiconductor has unveiled a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Bluetooth Channel Sounding, Thread, Zigbee and Matter system-on-chip (SoC) designed for internet of things (IoT) devices.
Called the nRF54LC10A, the entry-level SoC combines a simple microprocessor with a multi-protocol radio and is equipped with 1 MB of non-volatile memory, 192 KB of RAM and other peripherals.
Additionally, the chip integrates the Arm TrustZone isolation security features as well as support for firmware over-the-air (FOTA) and remote observability in the Nordic nRF Cloud services.
"Trade-offs have often been the challenge when it comes to entry-level products," said Øyvind Strøm, executive vice president of short-range at Nordic Semiconductor. "The nRF54LC10A brings the protocols, advanced security and software ecosystem of the nRF54L Series to a small, cost-sensitive device, enabling developers to build simple products without sacrificing capability."
Two key segments
Nordic said the SoC is designed for two key application sectors: BLE and smart home devices.
Due to the support for Bluetooth Channel Sounding, the SoC is applicable for smart tags or logistics asset trackers that need a low-power consumption, small-footprint device, Nordic said.
On the smart home front, with support for Thread and Zigbee as well as Matter, it fits a use in home hubs. Thread routers can also serve as a Thread radio coprocessor (RCP) to work alongside a host application processor for Thread connectivity, the company added.
