Espressif Achieves the 100-Million Target for IoT Chip Shipments

Espressif Systems, a leader in high-performance, low-power, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth ICs and modules, announces today that it has shipped its one-hundred-millionth Internet-of-Things chip. This is a major milestone for Espressif, which has developed rapidly in the last few years.

Fueled by the vision of its founder, Teo Swee Ann, Espressif’s release of the ESP8266 System-on-a-Chip in 2014 has been widely recognized as a turning point for the IoT market. The disruptive effect of releasing ESP8266 was further enhanced by the release of our flagship SoC, ESP32, in 2016.

By reducing system cost and complexity, Espressif has been providing industrial and consumer manufacturers with highly sophisticated chip designs that enable them to offer smart-connected products in super-competitive prices. Espressif chips and modules are engineered by an international team of innovative chip-design specialists and software/firmware developers who drive the IoT revolution of today.

This way, Espressif solutions are being selected to power up popular high-tech products ranging from tablets, set-top boxes, action cameras and wearables to smart appliances, lighting and HVAC climate controls. Espressif chips are also the basis of highly secure professional solutions, such as surveillance cameras, access control mechanisms, sensor networks and robots.

Further to this, Espressif recently introduced a new series of IoT modules to complement its current offering of certified single- and dual-core, Wi-Fi and Dual-Mode Bluetooth products based on ESP8266 and ESP32. For example, ESP32-PICO-D4 is a System-in-Package (SiP) module, seamlessly integrating in a 7mm×7mm×0,94mm package such peripherals as a crystal oscillator, flash, filter capacitors and RF matching links. With such modules, Espressif has embarked on enabling a new generation of ultra-miniature IoT applications. It is envisioned that Espressif’s new modules will materialize yet another disruptive breakthrough which will enable our customers to further improve the RF performance, integration and features of many different IoT applications.

Espressif Systems believes in the democratization of technology that will develop tomorrow’s Internet of Things. Espressif drives the IoT revolution by providing open access to its codes. A tangible example of this is the IoT software-development platform, ESP-IDF, which has allowed many third-party projects and platforms to be based on it. At the same time, Espressif also prides itself in being at the heart of a rich ecosystem supported by state-of-the-art hardware and software platforms.

Over the years, major Espressif Systems’ partners have expressed their endorsement for its IoT solutions.

Aldo Fumagalli, Director of the Washing Appliances Business Sector in the Candy Group, has said: “Espressif, thanks to its range of electronic components and Wi-Fi modules, has become a leading company in the Internet of Things. Hence, it is a key partner for us not only as a supplier but also as a strategic partner who will help us prepare for the trends of what will undoubtedly be the future of home appliances”. 

Zhuang Qinyi, Business Development Manager of the Alibaba IoT Business Unit, has commented: “The ESP series of products by Espressif Systems are among the most distinctive ones in the IoT market. ESP8266 and ESP32 can fulfil the operational requirements of various different IoT applications. In 2018, we look forward to seeing more and more products based on AliOS-supported ESP32 chips. Our aim is to develop the overall IoT ecosystem with Espressif.” 

Yang Yi, the co-founder of Tuya Technology, has said: “95% of all the domestic companies need help to deal with technology problems. So, we focus on layers of cloud computing like Platform-as-a-Service and Software-as-a-Service, standardizing them into products that customers can use independently. Meanwhile, IoT applications and development are becoming easier and more compatible with customers’ purchasing power, due to what Espressif Systems offers.”

In response to these words of support by partner companies, Teo Swee Ann, founder and CEO of Espressif Systems, has said: “The Internet-of-Things era has spurred the development of appliances that require secure and fast Wi-Fi connectivity. ESP8266 was Espressif Systems’ answer to this new reality and the first step in leaving our mark on the rapidly-growing IoT market. Then, ESP32 went on to become the most integrated Wi-Fi & Dual-Mode Bluetooth chip in the IoT industry, offering the most advanced power control and software development kits for all IoT applications. Espressif Systems is committed to providing the best IoT devices and software platforms in the industry.”