Qualcomm Announces Aware, Its Edge-to-Edge "Developer-Friendly" Internet of Things Platform

Qualcomm has announced the impending launch of Aware, an edge-to-edge platform for the Internet of Things (IoT) which it claims is designed to be developer-friendly and highly scalable.

"Qualcomm Technologies is rapidly diversifying with new opportunities powering the connected intelligent edge and today we are proud to unveil our latest IoT milestone — Qualcomm Aware," says Qualcomm's Jeff Torrance of the upcoming launch. "Qualcomm Aware is designed to support organizations across industries with a scalable, cost-effective, capital efficient investment solution that delivers an accelerated time to market, simplifies digital transformation, and delivers transformative insights needed to mitigate risk, make more informed business decisions, and navigate challenges across industries."

The company claims that its Aware platform will blend its hardware and software offerings for everything from location tracking to condition monitoring while avoiding fragmentation. Its focus, Qualcomm says, is on an architecture that puts application programming interfaces (APIs) first and which includes developer-friendly tools for both Qualcomm's ecosystem and that of its software partners.

For Qualcomm, it's something of a shift. The company has previously focused primarily on its hardware offerings, including application-class processors often found in embedded devices, smartphones, and tablets. Aware, though, will be positioned as a service model with "recurring subscription-based revenue" for the company — though it will chiefly appeal those who already use Qualcomm hardware in their designs.

A key feature of the Aware platform will be its "blueprints," the company claims: individualized and scalable designs customized for specific use cases, which allow for rapid roll-out of tried and tested solutions. Initially, the platform will focus on real-time supply chain visibility and intelligence use-cases, with expansion into other businesses, including healthcare and manufacturing, planned post-launch.

Qualcomm has yet to confirm a launch date and, crucially, its pricing structure for Aware, simply stating that it is "expected to be available later this year." In the meantime, more information is available on the Qualcomm website.