STMicroelectronics, a global leader in semiconductors, and Qualcomm Technologies International Ltd, a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, have announced a new strategic partnership focused on advancing the next generation of industrial and consumer IoT solutions enhanced by edge AI. This collaboration combines Qualcomm Technologies’ advanced AI-powered wireless connectivity technologies, beginning with a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Thread combo system-on-a-chip (SoC), with STMicroelectronics’ market-leading STM32 microcontroller (MCU) ecosystem. The partnership aims to deliver seamless connectivity and software integration to facilitate the rapid adoption of IoT solutions through ST’s global distribution network.
Remi El-Ouazzane, President of Microcontrollers, Digital ICs, and RF Products Group at STMicroelectronics, highlighted the importance of wireless connectivity for the widespread deployment of edge AI in various industries. He said, “Our strategic collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies on wireless connectivity, starting with the Wi-Fi/BT/Thread combo SoC, complements our existing Bluetooth Low Energy, Zigbee, Thread, and sub-GHz product portfolio. We aim to bring Qualcomm’s wireless technologies to our STM32 customers, offering significant value to over 100,000 STM32 developers worldwide.”
Rahul Patel, Group General Manager of Connectivity, Broadband, and Networking Business Unit at Qualcomm Technologies, emphasized the company’s leadership in advancing wireless IoT technologies. He said, “Our collaboration with STMicroelectronics combines Qualcomm’s top-tier connectivity solutions with ST’s STM32 MCU ecosystem, accelerating the development of feature-rich IoT applications. This partnership supports seamless integration and enhanced performance for developers and end-users alike.”
Expanding IoT Capabilities with Enhanced Connectivity
STMicroelectronics plans to introduce self-contained modules that integrate Qualcomm Technologies’ Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Thread combo SoC with STM32 microcontrollers. These modules will offer optimized wireless connectivity, fully integrated into ST’s existing software platform, reducing development time and speeding up time-to-market. The first products from this collaboration are expected to be available to OEMs in Q1 2025, with wider availability soon after. This partnership marks the beginning of a broader roadmap, including future Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Thread combo SoC products and an extension into cellular connectivity for industrial IoT applications.
Andrew Zignani, Senior Research Director at ABI Research, commented, “With the number of connected consumer, commercial, and industrial devices expected to exceed 80 billion by 2028, high-performance wireless connectivity paired with diverse microcontroller solutions will be essential for the next wave of IoT innovation. This collaboration between STMicroelectronics and Qualcomm Technologies is a powerful combination, simplifying and accelerating IoT development for companies in this dynamic market.”
This strategic partnership between STMicroelectronics and Qualcomm Technologies aims to create an efficient and scalable path for developers to bring innovative IoT solutions to market, powered by robust wireless connectivity and advanced microcontroller technology.
