Broadcom unveils new chip designed to secure IoT devices
When tech industry followers talk up the power of the internet of things movement, most of the focus is usually on the massive amounts of data and the desired potential business boons.
But, like with any form of technology, security is ultimately the make-or-break factor.
Broadcom has employed the security element as the focal point for its latest chip designed for connected and "smart" devices.
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The semiconductor company has unveiled a new Bluetooth Smart system-on-a-chip under the umbrella of its Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices (WICED) family.
Codenamed BCM20737, the SoC sports RSA 4000-bit encryption and decryption support for securing data while it is being transferred.
Broadcom suggested that this particular low-power chip could suffice for remote controls, toys, and medical devices, among other use cases.
Incorporated support for Apple's iBeacon technology boosts the number of possibilities significantly too as Broadcom highlighted the benefits of more geofencing and device detection features.
The Broadcom BCM20737 is currently available as a sample only for evaluation boards and software development kits.
The chip maker started peeling back the curtain on its internet of things and wearable technology strategies last year.
At a media event in August, CEO Scott McGregor admitted that would be difficult to predict just how big the wearable tech market will end up being based on varying analyst reports. But he speculated that the consensus is the sector will grow by a factor of 10 over the next five years.
Broadcom is busy getting in on the ground floor of that industry now, through chips like these as well as a previously introduced Wi-Fi framework designed specifically for embedded devices.