Nordic DevNews #1: The latest in ultra-low-power wireless

Welcome to Nordic DevNews, where we share key updates and news relevant to developers and engineers working with our ultra-low-power wireless solutions. Let’s dive in!

Great seeing you at CES 2025

It was fantastic meeting so many of you at our booth and in meetings during CES 2025! There was a lot of interest in our latest products and solutions, especially the nRF54L Series, nRF9151, Thingy:91 X, and Matter. One of the most popular demos at CES was the nRF54L Series vs. nRF52 Series comparison, which showcased power consumption and performance improvements live.

Now in full-volume production: nRF54L15 in QFN package

The nRF54L15 in the 6x6 mm QFN package entered full-volume production in December 2024, and several customers are now ramping up to release their next-generation products. Additionally, nRF Connect SDK v2.9.0 added support for nRF54L10 and nRF54L05, which can be emulated on the nRF54L15 DK. Samples of the nRF54L15 in the WLCSP package, and the nRF54L10 and nRF54L05 in the QFN package (which are pin-to-pin compatible with the nRF54L15), are now available to selected customers. These packages will enter full-volume production soon.

If you missed our webinar on the nRF54L Series, it is now available on-demand:

New samples: Bluetooth Channel Sounding

The new ultra-low-power 2.4 GHz radio in the nRF54L Series supports Channel Sounding, and in nRF Connect SDK v2.9.0, we added two new samples:

• Bluetooth: Channel Sounding Reflector with Ranging Responder

• Bluetooth: Channel Sounding Initiator with Ranging Requestor

These samples demonstrate how to use the ranging service between two devices, focusing on data flow between the initiator and reflector. Keep in mind that the performance of the ranging algorithm used in the sample is not representative of what the technology can deliver. However, it is now possible to evaluate the technology using custom or third-party ranging algorithms.

Want to see Bluetooth Channel Sounding in action? We’ll be showcasing a Bluetooth Channel Sounding demo at embedded world 2025!

Sampling now: New ultra-efficient PMIC for primary-cell batteries

The nPM2100 is the latest addition to our PMIC portfolio, designed for primary-cell batteries. It’s small, efficient, and packed with valuable features for primary cell-powered products:

• Ultra-efficient boost regulator

• Accurate fuel gauging for primary-cell batteries

• 35 nA ultra-low-power ship mode

• 175 nA Hibernate mode with timed wakeups

New video series: nPM PowerUP and fuel-gauging tutorials

We recently published a new video series to help you get started with nPM PowerUP and understand how to use fuel gauging with our PMICs. This series covers:

• Part 1: Setting up an nPM1300 EK, and a detailed walkthrough of the user interface of the nPM PowerUP software.

• Part 2: Exporting PMIC settings from nPM PowerUP to add PMIC functionality to any existing nRF Connect SDK or other Zephyr-based application.

• Part 3: Using nPM PowerUP to create a custom battery model for the fuel gauging functionality.

• Part 4: Implementing the nPM1300 fuel gauge in any compatible Zephyr RTOS firmware application.

New DevAcademy lesson: Sysbuild in the nRF Connect SDK Intermediate course

Sysbuild is a high-level build system that simplifies the management of complex multi-image builds, making your development process smoother and more efficient.

In this lesson, you will:

• Get an overview of Sysbuild and its use cases.
• Learn how to configure Sysbuild for an nRF Connect SDK application.
• Understand the partitioning schemes in nRF Connect SDK.
• Practice adding and configuring an SDK-provided Sysbuild image (MCUboot bootloader).
• Create a custom extra image in Sysbuild through hands-on exercises.

Check out the new Sysbuild lesson here!

Available on-demand: “Exciting new features in nRF Connect SDK 2.8.0 and 2.9.0”

We’ve recently hosted a webinar exploring the exciting new features (with demos!) in nRF Connect SDK versions 2.8.0 and 2.9.0, now available on-demand. Some highlights include

• Support for nRF54L Series.

• Support for Bluetooth LE connection subtrating.

• Support for Thread 1.4 and Matter 1.4.

• Experimental DECT NR+ shell sample.

• Experimental MCUboot image compression.

More highlights are in the release notes for nRF Connect SDK 2.8.0 and 2.9.0.

Upcoming: Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 – Barcelona, Spain

We're ready for MWC 2025 and look forward to meeting you there! We’re bringing with us the latest cellular IoT (LTE-M/NB-IoT/NTN) and DECT NR+ demos based on the ultra-low-power nRF9151 SiP module. nRF9151 will also support Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) in an upcoming release and we’ll have a demo showcasing a nRF9151 DK being connected to a satellite using NTN technology.

Upcoming: embedded world 2025 – Nuremberg, Germany

Join us at embedded world 2025 to learn more about our latest releases and to connect. Visit the Nordic booth or the Nordic kiosk at the Zephyr booth to experience new demos and products and meet with our team of engineers to discuss your projects. Don’t miss our technical presentations, which are open to all attendees, for a deeper dive into key technologies.

Until next time!

Thanks for catching up with us. We’re excited about what’s ahead and look forward to seeing you at MWC or embedded world—or hearing from you on DevZone.

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