UWB delivers spatial awareness, which is a new dimension of information, particular important in smart speaker applications that need to adjust for room acoustics. Knowing where a device is in relation to other devices, with an extreme level of accuracy, provides valuable location context. With access to Apple’s Nearby Interaction protocol and API, developers will have the ability to leverage the spatial awareness of UWB to build apps that can communicate with accessories simply by being in close proximity to an U1-equipped iPhone or Apple Watch.
NXP’s development tools are based on NXP Trimension SR150 and SR040, a dedicated portfolio of UWB IoT solutions that stand out for their ability to run UWB autonomously with all firmware running on chip. All PHY/MAC operation is handled within the UWB IC in accordance with FiRa Consortium specifications, helping developers to get solutions to market fast.
By working with regional partners, NXP offers a growing range of tools to access Apple's Nearby Interaction protocol. The UWB Development Kit by Murata enables a wide range of IoT devices to perform localization tasks or create a setup with multiple UWB anchors. Together with MobileKnowledge NXP further provides a UWB Development Kit with Arduino Connector to bring UWB to IoT devices, such as coin-cell battery powered trackers and tags. More tools are planned to be released in the coming weeks.
“Trimension development tools are now available to help developers unleash the full potential of Apple’s Nearby Interaction protocol and API,” says Rafael Sotomayor, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Connectivity and Security for NXP Semiconductors. “Our curated range of development tools are ready to power the next exciting phase of UWB development, bringing us closer to a world that anticipates and automates to meet our needs.”
With one of the industry's broadest portfolios of wireless technologies, NXP was the first manufacturer to offer a system-level UWB solution backed by a comprehensive software offering and strong security integration based on NXP's market-proven embedded secure elements (eSEs), and near-field communication (NFC) integration. The introduction of Trimension expands NXP's comprehensive connectivity offerings across NFC, Wi-Fi, 5G, and Bluetooth.
www.nxp.com/UWB-Apple-U1
www.nxp.com
