Samsung has unveiled its first UWB chip, the Exynos Connect U100. And with this new chip, the South Korean firm has also announced its Exynos Connect branding for semiconductor chips that offer short-range wireless connectivity such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and UWB. We expect more such wireless connectivity chips to be added to the Exynos Connect lineup in the future.
Exynos Connect U100 has single-digit centimeter accuracy
Exynos Connect U100 offers UWB connectivity with single-digit centimeter accuracy and precise direction information (less than 5 degrees of angle). It is designed to be used inside smartphones, tablets, cars, and IoT (Internet of Things) devices. UWB is a relatively new wireless connectivity technology that can transfer data at high speeds using a broad frequency spectrum and short distances. Thanks to its ability to provide direction information, it is increasingly being used to connect to digital keys and location trackers. It can also be used for mobile payments, smart homes, and smart factories.
Samsung’s new UWB chip can be useful while tracking location in challenging indoor environments such as shopping malls where GPS is ineffective. It can also help improve the accuracy of AR and VR applications. The Exynos Connect U100 packs RF (Radio Frequency), baseband, embedded flash memory, and power management in a single chip. This will likely be used in future smartphones, tablets, location trackers, and other IoT products. To prevent external hacking, the chip is equipped with STS (Scrambled Timestamp Function) and a secure hardware encryption engine.
The U100 has been certified by the FiRa Consortium, which checks UWB devices for interoperability. It is also compatible with CCC (Car Connectivity Consortium) Digital Key Release 3.0, which enables it to be used as a digital car key for compatible connected cars. We expect the Exynos Connect U100 to be used in future Galaxy smartphones and location trackers.
Joonsuk Kim, Executive Vice President of the Connectivity Development Team at Samsung Electronics, said, “Our Exynos Connect U100 combines sophisticated ranging and positioning capabilities with strong security to enable hyper-connectivity between people and everyday objects, fueling a range of new applications in positioning and location tracking. Building on our technology leadership in communications technologies, we are committed to driving innovation in short-range communication solutions to transform the way we connect and relate to the world around us.“
