Modules enables OEM customers to accelerate their first-to-market strategies efficiently

Congatec has announced support of the new 64-bit NXP i.MX8 processors for the SMARC and Qseven module standards. As a member of NXP’s Early Access Program, the new modules will be available in time with the launch of the new ARM Cortex A53 / A72 based processor family. This enables OEM customers to realize their first-to-market strategies efficiently, since they can begin creating the carrier board for their applications immediately and will be able to leverage application-ready i.MX8 based modules from the first day of the launch. “We see a strong increase in demand for ARM technologies in all low-power embedded segments, which we are in a perfect position to address with our Qseven and SMARC modules,” explains Martin Danzer, director of product management at congatec. “Thanks to hardware support for the virtualization of the CPU and GPU cores as well as hardware-accelerated image and speech recognition, entirely new applications with innovative access control and user interface concepts are now conceivable, making the use of embedded ARM architecture even easier, more convenient and more versatile.” “i.MX8 based Computer-on-Modules in the leading small form factor standards Qseven and SMARC enable developers to implement their projects with the shortest time to market and with very little NRE effort,” explains Steve Owen, executive vice president Global Sales at NXP. “With Computer-on-Modules, engineers can save minimum 50 percent and up to 90 percent time and NRE efforts compared to a full custom design. This modular approach is ideal for industrial batches as it significantly simplifies the use of ARM technologies. This opens new market segments for NXP’s i.MX technology where developers traditionally employed x86 technology. When solution providers such as congatec also offer embedded design and manufacturing services, they are an ideal starting point for full-custom designs with particularly high production volumes.”