New Amazon Sidewalk SoCs & developer tools from Silicon Labs

With these new devices, developer tools, and the previously announced Silicon Labs Pro Kit for Amazon Sidewalk, Silicon Labs strengthens its complete development platform for Amazon’s rapidly growing network. The new SoCs are generally available today through Silicon Labs and its distribution partners.

“Amazon Sidewalk brings many unique features for device developers, along with several unique requirements,” said Jake Alamat, Senior Vice President of Home, and Life IoT at Silicon Labs. “By working closely with Amazon, we’ve been a leader in arming developers with the hardware, software, and development tools they need to navigate the Amazon Sidewalk development process.”

New Amazon Sidewalk-optimised device family gives developers an easier on-ramp

With the extensive breadth of technologies and protocols that exist in IoT today, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to choosing the right development platform for a device. Silicon Labs has built its portfolio around that mindset, with different device families and derivatives for different parts, like the BG line of Bluetooth SoCs and the ZG line of Z-Wave SoCs, and now, the SG family of SoCs optimised for Amazon Sidewalk.

The always-on, community-driven Amazon Sidewalk network uses three different radios: Bluetooth LE for device provisioning and nearby device connectivity, sub-GHz FSK for connectivity up to one mile, and a proprietary CSS radio for extreme long-range. Most Amazon Sidewalk end-devices will support Bluetooth LE and one of the two long-range protocols: FSK or CSS. The SG28 includes two dual-band SoCs with radios for both sub-GHz FSK as well as Bluetooth LE. For device makers, the SG28 dual-band parts help simplify their devices and reduce cost by including the two most used radios on Sidewalk end-devices in one package, while the SG23 provides security and a robust sub-GHz link budget for long-range, end-node devices.

Amazon Sidewalk Developer’s Journey brings expert support for device makers

On March 28, 2023, Amazon Sidewalk opened for developers. While Amazon Sidewalk offered the advantage of already being a stood-up network at the time, it is also new, and developers need to be educated on how they can best create devices for it.

Recognising this, Silicon Labs worked directly with Amazon to create the Amazon Sidewalk Developer’s Journey with Silicon Labs. Across 12 steps organised in three stages, the Developer’s Journey guides developers through the complete process, from determining if their targeted region has Amazon Sidewalk coverage, all the way through device deployment and ongoing support for devices in the field. Throughout, the steps are explained through technical documentation, videos, and code samples, with the option to engage a Silicon Labs expert for support. Silicon Labs provides all the tools needed for each step, and by following the Developers Journey, device makers are well-positioned for Amazon Web Services and Amazon Sidewalk certification and approval.

Begin developing for Amazon Sidewalk during Silicon Labs Works With Developers Conference 

The fourth annual Silicon Labs Works With Developers Conference takes place virtually August 22^nd and 23^rd. This event offers free registration and provides attendees with over 60 hours of live and on-demand technical IoT training. Amazon Sidewalk will feature prominently in the Works With 2023 agenda as one of the emerging ecosystems, and developers can learn how they can build for the new Amazon Sidewalk network or get more info on sub-GHz SoCs like the SG23 and SG28 in several sessions, including:

• LPW-203 Amazon Sidewalk: Ecosystem Development Journey
• LPW-205 Explore the New FG28 Dual-Band, Sub-GHz 2.4 GHz Bluetooth LE SoC
• AMZ-PNL Amazon Sidewalk: Leveraging a New Shared Neighborhood Network