IoT Innovator Soracom Leverages its Partnerships with Murata, Kigen, and Sony Semiconductor Israel to Launch New iSIM Technology

Good day to y’all, IoT readers faithful.

Let’s intro this story with a quick look at integrated SIMs (iSIMs), just in case anyone is unfamiliar (or is simply in need of a quick refresher):

The iSIM — also known as the Integrated Universal Integrated Circuit Card, or iUICC — incorporates SIM functionality directly into a device’s central processor, rather than as a separate physical card (or as an eSIM module). This allows IoT devices to connect to cellular networks without needing a removable SIM card (or a soldered eSIM). iSIM and system-on-chip (SoC) technology can go hand-in-hand, as well; the former is positioned in a secure area on the latter, safeguarded by a tamper-resistant element (TRE). iSIMs are also sleek and compact, and they consume up to 70% less power than traditional SIM cards, to boot.

And today, we’re talking about iSIM technology specifically because of an announcement made by a company that frequently pops up here on IoT Evolution World:

Soracom, Inc., a globally trusted provider of advanced IoT solutions.

This morning, Soracom officially announced both the commercial launch of its iSIM and its iSIM-compatible cellular module built off the Murata Type 1SC.

This has been in the works for quite some time; in fact, Soracom’s well-thought-out partnerships with Murata, Kigen, and Sony Semiconductor Israel are what made it possible. (We’ve been covering Soracom’s strategic partnership web for a few years, at this point. Read one of these pertinent stories here.)

With IoT chipset developer insights from Sony, iSIM manufacturer know-how from Murata and Kigen’s Secure iSIM Operating System, Soracom’s iSIM now enables ioT technology manufacturers to create power-efficient devices that are even more compact and lightweight (and with fewer physical components required).

Below are supporting quotes from Soracom’s iSIM partners:

“As an ultra-compact, low-power iSIM-compatible cellular LPWA communication module, our Type 1SC module is a perfect fit for Soracom users,” stated Hirokazu Nakae, General Manager, Connectivity Module Product Department, Communication Module Business Unit, Murata. “Combining our miniaturization technology with iSIMs provides users with a quick-and-easy solution for deploying IoT services at scale.”

“Thanks to our long-standing partnership with Soracom and our ecosystem partners, IoT device manufacturers now have instant access to this iSIM solution, accelerating developers’ capabilities to smartly leverage global connectivity,” said Vincent Korstanje, CEO, Kigen. “This is a major milestone in supporting manufacturers with iSIM commercial general availability, globally.”

“We would like to express our gratitude to our partners for this exciting collaboration,” added Dima Feldman, Vice President of Product Management and Marketing, Sony Semiconductor Israel. “Through this innovative model, iSIM seamlessly connects the LPWA chipset to the Soracom network, simplifying the hardware design and onboarding experience for our customers. This approach is essential for driving the adoption of lower-power cellular IoT applications and we believe it will significantly enhance IoT device-makers engagement and satisfaction.”

Additionally, we’d like to note that the esteemed Kenta Yasukawa, PhD, CTO and co-founder of Soracom, will be speaking in person at our upcoming Industrial IoT Conference! He’ll be leading a unique session that we think IoT Evolution World readers (and conference attendees, alike) will definitely benefit from. Important details here.