NXP has augmented its product portfolio with the release of the K32W061 and K32W041 multiprotocol wireless microcontrollers (MCUs). The low-power MCUs are designed specifically for smart home and IoT devices, and boast multiple low power and low radio power modes.

The K32W061 and K32W041 both support Thread and Zigbee networking protocols and offer Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0 capabilities, and feature an IEEE 802.15.4 radio. The K32W061 also includes an integrated NFC NTAG, while equipment manufacturers who purchase the MCUs will be able to take advantage of NXP’s IoT Toolbox, IoT Development Kit, and MCUXpresso SDK.

Both MCUs are based on the Arm Cortex M4 microcontroller core, and are rugged enough to withstand temperatures ranging from -40 to +125 degrees Celsius. Potential applications include smart locks, smart thermostats, building automation, and access control.

“The demand for ultra-low power connectivity in the smart home continues to grow as does the number of wireless technologies to choose from,” said Tom Pannell, NXP’s Senior Marketing Director for Connectivity Solutions. “With the launch our new multiprotocol wireless microcontrollers, NXP is leveraging our technology portfolio to deliver solutions that make it easier for [original equipment manufacturers] to design robust and feature-rich Internet of Things devices.”

According to NXP, the K32W family will complement the company’s existing JN5189/88 and QN9090/30 MCUs. The JN MCUs were released in February, and are geared towards Zigbee and Thread applications, while the QN family was built with an eye toward Bluetooth.

NXP recently released a new Wi-Fi 6 portfolio to make it easier to integrate the latest Wi-Fi standards into a broader array of products. Before that, the company unveiled its i.MX RT106L and i.MX RT106F MCUs. The former was developed to enable offline voice recognition in smart devices, while the latter is expected to do the same for facial recognition.