Qualcomm unveiled a revamped version of its dedicated IoT modem, as part of a plan to capitalise on what it sees as a major growth opportunity.

The 9205 LTE modem offers LTE-M, NB-IoT and 2G connectivity options. It covers a frequency range from 450MHz to 2.1GHz, making it compatible with more than 23 global bands.

In a statement, Qualcomm said the modem is 50 per cent smaller than its predecessor (and first IoT-specific chip), the MDM9206, and is up to 70 per cent more power efficient.

It also includes an Arm Cortex A7 application processor, geolocation via a range of satellite navigation systems, hardware-based security, and support for cloud services and developer tools including an LTE software development kit Qualcomm launched in February.

Qualcomm touted the modem as “purpose-built” to serve a broad range of IoT applications: asset trackers; health monitors; security systems; smart city sensors; smart meters; and wearables to name a few.

Expansion plan
The refresh comes more than three years after Qualcomm introduced the MDM9206 and as it looks to further diversify its business beyond traditional mobile chipsets.

At its Snapdragon Summit earlier this month, Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon flagged IoT expansion as a “key execution challenge and opportunity” for 2019, noting the company sees strong interest in the industrial IoT segment.

The company said the first products based on the 9205 LTE modem are expected to be commercially available in 2019, from Gemalto, Quectel and Telit.