Tokyo-based KDDI-owned IoT connectivity provider Soracom and Singapore-based IoT development house Unabiz have jointly developed and launched a new LTE-M smart ‘button’ for “dozens of unique IoT use cases”. The pair, which have collaborated previously on custom hardware and connectivity projects for specific customers, will brand and sell the device separately.
Soracom took part as lead investor in a $10 million Series A funding round in Unabiz last year. IoT buttons are not new, and have been deployed as commercial products and innovation projects using various equivalent low-power wide-area (LPWA) connectivity technologies, including Sigfox – which Unabiz acquired last year, and which somewhat infamously handed out dollar-valued buttons to 1,500 attendee at a developer gig in 2020.
The new LTE-M device is described as a “configurable button” which sends an event with a button click / press over an LTE-M sensor to a Soracom / UnaBiz platform endpoint – “where the real intelligence resides” and from where “the possibilities are nearly limitless”, according to the two companies. Users can configure the button to trigger serverless functions on cloud services such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.
A statement said: “After registering the device a user can simply select a cloud service, apply a piece of code and associate a button click to trigger any logic deployed in the cloud. Developers looking to quickly understand and apply Soracom or Unabiz platform capabilities can use the LTE-M button as a standalone device or with sensors and other devices – like a flood sensor or magnet relay – for more industrial applications.”
It added: “The button can be used for any purpose. With the push of a button, users can order products and services like ride hailing or meal ordering, start or stop a task, generate an alert, provide feedback, and more. Industries such as e-commerce, call centers, hospitality, maintenance, transportation can use the IoT button to automate operations, streamline workflows, and improve customer service.”
The unit features eSIM technology, a three-color LED status indicator, FOTA support, replaceable AA batteries, IP54 grade, and a recycled plastic casing. The unit is being sold by Mouser Electronics, CalChip Connect, and Soracom variously in the US, UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Taiwan, Singapore, and Thailand.
Kenta Yasukawa, chief technology officer at Soracom, said: “It is a very simple device, but its applications are limited only by the user’s imagination. Because it includes both connectivity and cloud integration, users can incorporate it into their own IoT use cases immediately on registration. It is a very effective reference device for getting started in IoT, but it can also serve more sophisticated use cases, like connecting sensors and relays.”
Alexis Susset, chief technology officer at UnaBiz, said: “Building on our deep knowledge of Sigfox-based low-power devices design, it was only natural for UnaBiz to partner with Soracom team expertise in LTE-M integrations. This collaboration has enabled us to jointly deliver a simple, evolutive and elegant IoT button which will last years on a single battery charge and benefit from the growing LTE-M networks coverage.”
