NXP and Microsoft Team Up to Develop New Azure Sphere Edge Processor

NXP and Microsoft are teaming up to develop a new edge processor for the latter’s Azure Sphere platform. The NXP i.MX 8 processor series will serve as the foundation for the new processor, although engineers from both companies will contribute to the design.

The new processor is being built specifically for IoT applications, with the expectation that it will be easy for manufacturers to integrate the chip in a range of connected devices. The embedded chip will run the Azure Sphere OS, and will be compatible with the Azure Sphere Security Service and the Microsoft Pluton security sub-system to guarantee the safety of any device running the high-performance processor.

“With this processor, customers can build purposeful edge products and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing that their products are protected,” said NXP VP Joe Yu.

“Our collaboration with NXP enables our partners to deliver intelligent security that is responsive and always learning,” added Galen Hunt, an Engineer and Managing Director for Microsoft Azure Sphere.

The two companies will release single and dual core versions of the processor, which is expected to be available in limited release in Q4 of 2020. The announcement marks a banner week for NXP, which consolidated its edge processing portfolio under the EdgeVerse brand umbrella.

Microsoft, meanwhile, is constantly adding new security features to the Azure platform, with Entrust Datacard and Veridium having extended support for password-free authentication options in 2018.