STMicro’s new STM32U3 chips bring smarter, longer-lasting power to IoT devices

Typical use cases include smart utility meters, medical devices like glucose monitors and insulin pumps, industrial and environmental sensors, and animal care systems, as well as wearables including smartwatches, fitness bands, and wireless earbuds requiring compact, long-lasting power

As the demand for ultra-low-power, highly secure, and scalable Internet of Things (IoT) solutions continues to rise, STMicroelectronics has stepped forward with a timely response. The company has introduced STM32U3, a new generation of microcontroller chips designed to deliver exceptional energy efficiency and robust embedded security for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Tailored for use in battery-powered and energy-harvesting devices, the STM32U3 series promises to significantly extend IoT device battery life — a critical need for applications operating in remote or maintenance-limited environments.

The new chips are built using advanced near-threshold voltage design techniques that dramatically reduce dynamic power consumption. Compared to previous STM32 generations, the STM32U3 achieves up to twice the energy efficiency, enabling longer operation with smaller power sources such as coin cell batteries or solar panels.

Versatile power for smart devices

Typical use cases include smart utility meters, glucose monitors, insulin pumps, environmental and industrial sensors, and animal care devices. The microcontrollers are also ideal for consumer wearables such as smartwatches, fitness bands, and wireless earbuds — where long battery life and small form factor are essential.

“The STM32U3 features represent a leap forward in ultra-low-power design,” said Patrick Aidoune, General Manager of ST’s General-Purpose MCU Division. “These chips enable developers to create smarter, more sustainable products while addressing both performance and security requirements.”

Security is another cornerstone of the STM32U3 architecture. Each device is factory-provisioned with unique attestation credentials for secure onboarding. Hardware-based security assets include TrustZone isolation, cryptographic accelerators, secure key storage, and a true random number generator — helping devices meet emerging standards such as the EU’s Radio Equipment Directive (RED) and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).

Flexible platform for IoT development

Austrian company smaXtec, a provider of real-time livestock health monitoring solutions, is already integrating the STM32U3 chips into its products. “The power consumption in active mode is remarkably low — just a few microamps per MHz,” said Manuel Frech, Product Development Engineer at smaXtec. “With the new STOP3 low-power mode, we can minimize energy use between data collection cycles without losing responsiveness.”

Designed around the Arm Cortex-M33 core and fully compatible with the STM32Cube ecosystem, the STM32U3 offers developers a flexible platform to build next-generation IoT chipsets with ease.