NXP Launches Next-Generation Secure and Energy-Efficient i.MX 91 Series, Expanding Linux Capabilities for a Broad Range of Edge Applications

New i.MX 9 family members simplify development of cost-effective edge devices, helping build scalable, reliable platforms that require security, high performance and Linux support

Shanghai, China - June 1, 2023 - NXP Semiconductors NV (NXP Semiconductors NV) officially released the i.MX 91 application processor series. With NXP's more than 20 years of leadership in developing multi-market application processors, the i.MX 91 series provides an optimized combination of security, versatility and high energy efficiency to meet the needs of the next generation of Linux®-based IoT and industrial applications.

Product Importance

Newly released protocols change the direction of new product categories in the IoT and industrial markets, such as Matter, an interoperable secure connection standard for future smart homes, or the ISO 15118-20 standard for electric vehicle chargers. Such new products are often based on Linux, because Linux provides developers with the scalability and programming convenience they need to promote application development and extend product life. NXP's i.MX 91 series enables developers to quickly create new Linux-based edge devices such as home controllers, connected appliances, home entertainment, industrial scanning and printing, building control, electric vehicle chargers and medical platforms.

“The i.MX 91 series solidifies NXP’s leadership in intelligent controllers,” said Jim McGregor, principal analyst at TIRIAS Research. “The next generation of Linux devices based on the i.MX 91 applications processor will be high-performance, cost-effective, and secure solutions that enable faster, timely, and easier deployment of new versions of protocols or standards. It provides an important platform for engineers to add intelligent capabilities to traditional embedded and IoT systems while providing scalability through the broader i.MX 9 series.”

As the entry-level product of the i.MX 9 series, the i.MX 91 series has the scalability and programming convenience required by developers, making it easy to continuously update applications in the future. The i.MX 91 series can share software and hardware with the NXP i.MX 93 series, providing additional platform options for expanding product lines, maximizing the reuse of development investment, and shortening product time to market.

More details

“NXP’s next-generation i.MX 91 series will serve as the foundation for thousands of new device categories, setting a new standard for Linux platforms in IoT and industrial applications with its performance, connectivity and EdgeLock security enclave,” said Charles Dachs, senior vice president and general manager of NXP’s Industrial and IoT Edge division. “The i.MX 91 series enables rapid platform development, easier pivoting to new markets and applications, leveraging existing investments and simplifying product line refreshes.”

The i.MX 91 application processor uses the Arm® Cortex®-A55 and runs at a frequency of up to 1.4GHz. It supports the latest LPDDR4 memory to ensure platform life and reliability. It supports dual Gigabit Ethernet gateways or multiple network segments. It provides dual USB interfaces and basic I/Os. It is suitable for products in smart factories, smart homes, smart offices, medical equipment, metering and cost-effective modular system platforms.

The integrated EdgeLock security lock area provides advanced security features such as lifecycle management, tamper detection, secure boot, and simplified certification paths. Developers can easily obtain these important security features through the security software support provided by NXP. The combination of security and easy management helps to increase the credibility and service life of the platform design, ensuring that the platform design remains stable in the market for a long time.

The i.MX 91 series can be used with cost-effective power management solutions co-developed by NXP, which are also part of the i.MX 93 series ecosystem. The i.MX 91 series EVKs and software packages integrate NXP's broad portfolio of scalable wireless solutions. This includes the IW612, the first monolithic tri-band radio family supporting Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth® 5.2 and 802.15.4. With its focus on the Matter protocol, the IW612 frees consumers from the constraints of a single protocol ecosystem and allows them to enjoy seamless interoperability between different ecosystems and wireless network technologies.

Availability

NXP i.MX application processors are sold worldwide through distributors and retailers and are supported by NXP software, tools and software from a wide ecosystem, and are fully supported. Both the i.MX 8 series and i.MX 9 series are included in NXP's product long-term supply plan, guaranteeing supply for at least 15 years, ensuring stable supply of embedded design products.

NXP expects to provide the i.MX 91 development platform to certain customers on a priority basis in the second half of 2023.

Other quotes

"As one of the partners who has the opportunity to experience the i.MX 91 application processor first, we will continue our long-term cooperation with NXP. The new i.MX 91 series has extremely low power consumption, which is very suitable for price-sensitive headless applications. It improves the scalability of our SMARC and OSM product portfolio based on the i.MX 9 series and is an excellent successor to the existing NXP ultra-low power platform." - Jens Plachetka, Development Board Platform Manager, Avnet Embedded

“As an early access partner, eInfochips is excited to use NXP’s i.MX 91 SoC-based reference development platform. This platform will help us provide our customers with cost-effective Linux-based edge solutions to build the next generation of IoT and industrial products.” - Dharam Sheoran, Chief Customer Officer, eInfochips

"The i.MX 91 application processor is a new generation of SoC that promotes the high-quality development of industrial applications and the Internet of Things. It has many features such as excellent security, scalability, stability and high cost performance. The scalable platform using the i.MX 93 SoC simplifies development work and reduces the difficulty for customers to expand their products. As a gold partner of NXP, Forlinx has worked closely with NXP since the early stages of the development of the i.MX 91 series. We believe that the launch of the i.MX 91 series will bring customers higher performance, more economical and more secure solutions. In the future, Forlinx will continue to work with NXP to provide customers with a comprehensive and mature software and hardware ecosystem." - Fei Liang, CTO of Forlinx

“NXP’s i.MX 91 applications processor family combines performance, price/performance and security for entry-level Linux edge processing solutions for applications such as electric vehicle charging stations, industrial gateways and HMI displays. The i.MX 9 series helps customers reduce development costs, shorten time to market, achieve scalability, and provide consumers with efficient power management systems and advanced security features at the edge.” - Immanuel Rathinam, Vice President of Modular Systems at iWave

“With its competitive price, high performance and ultra-compact design, the NXP i.MX 91 applications processor is an ideal fit for PHYTEC’s modular system portfolio. Our modular systems (SoMs) can be equipped with the entry-level i.MX 91 series or the NXP i.MX 93 applications processor, which features machine learning acceleration. The new PHY-Core SoMs based on the NXP i.MX 93 or i.MX 91 series are fully pin-compatible with our popular PHY-Core SoMs based on the NXP i.MX 6ULL ​​applications processor, providing customers with an upgrade path, scalable computing power and the latest technologies, while ensuring a long life with improved products and applications.” - Yves Astein, Head of Product Development, Phytec

“SECO welcomes NXP’s new i.MX 91 applications processor, which adds scalability to our SMARC Computer-on-Modules product family. This solution targets cost-sensitive edge applications and facilitates easy deployment of a Linux® platform with reduced functionality.” - Davide Catani, CTO, SECO

“As a long-term partner, we are pleased to launch two low-cost modules, both based on NXP’s powerful new i.MX 91 applications processor family. Building on the popular i.MX 6UL and i.MX 6ULL ​​applications processors, the i.MX 91 applications processors cater to price-conscious users who want a more powerful and modern platform. With high-speed interfaces such as TSN and Gigabit Ethernet, EdgeLock secure lock zones, and high computing performance for many edge applications, the new modules provide an ideal platform for applications such as gateways, building and industrial automation controls, time and attendance systems, diagnostic medical devices, and elevator controls.” – Konrad Zöpf, Associate Director of Embedded and Product Management at TQ-Systems

“As a company committed to bringing innovative solutions to the embedded market, Variscite is honored to have early access to NXP’s next-generation application processors and to simultaneously release SoM solutions based on NXP’s upcoming i.MX 91 series. The SoM expands Variscite’s VAR-SOM pin2pin family, providing a premium solution for low-end and price-sensitive devices.” - Ofer Austerlitz, Vice President and Business Development and Sales Manager at Variscite