Nordic's entry-level Bluetooth LE SoCs enter mass production

Nordic Semiconductor's nRF54LS05A and nRF54LS05B Bluetooth LE SoCs have entered mass production and will become generally available through Nordic's distribution partners, the company said. The nRF54LS05 development kit supporting both devices is available from distributors now.

The two SoCs extend the nRF54L Series into high-volume, cost-constrained designs such as sensors, asset tags, beacons, remote controls and PC accessories including keyboards and mice. Nordic describes the parts as combining ultra-low-power Bluetooth LE with sufficient processing capability and I/O for simple peripherals such as buttons and scroll wheels, in applications that typically have modest data requirements and a strong need for long battery life.

Package sizes and reference design

The SoCs originally launched in a 6 x 6 mm package and are now available in three additional, smaller sizes, down to 4 x 4 mm, intended to allow the devices to fit into more compact products. Samples of the smaller package options are available through Nordic's sales representatives.

For the 6 x 6 mm variant, Nordic has published a new reference design built around a 2-layer printed circuit board. The company states this is simpler and less costly to manufacture than the 4-layer boards used in earlier reference designs, though it does not quantify the cost difference.

Shared platform

Nordic says the nRF54LS05A and nRF54LS05B use the same software, development tools and technical support as the rest of its wireless portfolio. According to the company, this allows a design to move to a more capable nRF54L Series SoC if a product's feature requirements grow, while retaining the same software base. Further technical detail, package options and the reference design are covered in Nordic's DevZone blog.