STMicro and Qualcomm enter strategic collaboration in wireless IoT

STMicroelectronics and Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc., announced a new, strategic collaboration for the next-generation of industrial and consumer IoT solutions augmented by edge AI. 

This highly complementary collaboration will see the two companies integrate Qualcomm Technologies’ leading AI-powered wireless connectivity technologies, starting with Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Thread combo system-on-a-chip (SoC), with the market-leading microcontroller (MCU) ecosystem from ST. 

Through this collaboration, developers will enjoy seamless connectivity software integration into STM32 general-purpose MCUs, including software toolkits, facilitating quick and broad adoption via ST’s world-wide sales and distributor channels.

Remi El-Ouazzane, President, Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF Products Group, for STMicroelectronics, said: “Wireless connectivity is key to the fast pervasion of edge AI across an ever-growing variety of use cases in enterprise, industrial and personal applications. 

"This is why we are establishing a strategic collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies on wireless connectivity today, starting with Wi-Fi/BT/Thread combo SoC, and already considering next steps, complementing our existing multi-protocol Bluetooth Low Energy, Zigbee, Thread and sub-GHz products portfolio. We envision wireless connectivity products based on technology from Qualcomm Technologies augmenting any of our STM32 products, bringing significant value to our more than 100,000 STM32 customers globally."

Rahul Patel, Group General Manager, Connectivity, Broadband and Networking Business Unit for Qualcomm Technologies Inc., added: “Qualcomm Technologies’ R&D leadership has helped drive the evolution of wireless IoT, ranging from pioneering 4G/5G, to high performance Wi-Fi, to micropower connectivity solutions. 

"Our collaboration with STMicroelectronics pairs Qualcomm Technologies’ best-in-class connectivity offerings with ST’s leading STM32 microcontroller ecosystem and will help drive a significant acceleration of feature-rich capabilities across the IoT. Together, we are setting new developer experiences for IoT applications, supporting seamless integration and optimal performance for developers and end-users alike."

Focusing on the broader market, ST plans to introduce self-contained modules utilizing Qualcomm Technologies’ Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Thread combo SoC portfolio, which can be system-level integrated with any STM32 general-purpose microcontrollers. Wireless connectivity optimized and made available to ST’s developer ecosystem through ST’s well established software platform will contribute to reducing development time and time-to-market. 

The initial product offerings resulting from this collaboration are expected to be available to OEMs in Q1 2025, with broader availability to follow. This is a first step in a collaboration that envisions a roadmap of Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Thread combo SoC products over time, with the intention to extend into cellular connectivity for industrial IoT applications.

Andrew Zignani, Senior Research Director, ABI Research, commented “With the installed base of consumer, commercial and industrial connected devices expected to reach well over 80 billion units by 2028, the proliferation of high-performance wireless connectivity solutions combined with a diverse suite of microcontrollers will be fundamental in enabling this next wave of wireless IoT innovation. 

"This collaboration between STMicroelectronics and Qualcomm Technologies is a perfect match thanks to ST’s leading microcontroller ecosystem and Qualcomm Technologies’ R&D leadership in wireless connectivity, and the growing availability of these combined solutions will enable companies to address this dynamic IoT market more simply, more quickly, and more cost-effectively in the years to come.”