Manufacturers and developers seeking reliable, energy-efficient IoT connections gained new options as Nordic Semiconductor launched major additions to its cellular IoT product lineup at MWC 2026. These announcements highlight the company’s focus on integrating cellular, satellite, and edge AI capabilities into cohesive solutions. Experts from varied industries anticipate expanded global reach for IoT deployments as Nordic’s new modules offer stronger device autonomy alongside simplified cloud integration. Growing demand for secure, scalable infrastructure has driven these innovations, positioning Nordic as a key player responding to increasingly diverse application needs.
Earlier product releases from Nordic centered around scaling LTE-M/NB-IoT for asset tracking and smart metering, but those offerings lacked full support for Cat 1 bis and satellite NTN feature sets. Other modules in the market relied heavily on 2G/3G legacy connectivity and could not combine such a wide spectrum of technologies within compact, energy-saving devices. Recent years saw heightened calls from OEMs for robust cloud integration and location support, which have only now begun surfacing comprehensively in Nordic’s portfolio. This expansion addresses those earlier gaps while maintaining backwards compatibility and ease of integration.
What Does the New Portfolio Offer Developers?
Nordic’s latest announcement introduces two product series—the nRF92 and nRF93—as well as upgrades for the nRF91 Series. The nRF92 Series features an application microcontroller unit with edge AI, GNSS, Wi-Fi locationing, and sensor processing. The nRF93 Series provides LTE Cat 1 bis modules with high data rates and Wi-Fi-based location functionality. Updates to the nRF91 Series include satellite NTN and improved fallback capabilities, offering developers more options for secure and energy-efficient devices. According to CEO Vegard Wollan, the expansion aims to create “the most trusted, power-efficient, and scalable connectivity platform for billions of devices worldwide.”
How Does the Expansion Impact IoT Application Areas?
Applications ranging from smart meters and asset trackers to industrial sensors and wearables stand to benefit from these updates. The nRF92 Series, tailored for multi-year battery operation and edge AI deployment, targets advanced use cases requiring efficient processing and reliable coverage, even in remote environments. Meanwhile, the nRF93M1 is designed for global LTE support in asset tracking, security, fleet management, and advanced metering, catering to requirements for flexibility and international deployment. Customers developing with these new solutions can expect broader functionality and easier scaling of products.
Which Features Set Nordic’s Approach Apart?
Nordic’s portfolio now consolidates cellular, satellite NTN, and cloud-based services under one development ecosystem. By incorporating multi-constellation GNSS, Wi-Fi locationing, edge AI, and fallback systems, their modules address challenges associated with connectivity loss and location accuracy. The company emphasizes integration with Nordic’s nRF Cloud platform, which supports remote management and firmware updates.
“A unified, market-leading portfolio spanning across these technologies gives developers clarity, confidence, and a long-term roadmap they can rely on—even as networks and requirements evolve worldwide.”
This approach aims to ease the transition for organizations looking to deploy devices in varied environments with minimal energy consumption.
Nordic’s engagement with 5G eRedCap and satellite technologies signals ongoing investment in future-ready platforms. General availability for the nRF93 Series is anticipated in mid-2026, while the nRF92 Series is expected to reach the broader market in early 2027. The company is actively collaborating with lead customers to fine-tune new 5G and NTN solutions.
“Our goal is to make globally connected products easier to build, deploy, and scale—from chip to cloud,”
Wollan added, indicating the company’s ambition to facilitate both current and next-generation IoT deployments worldwide.
Nordic’s expanded lineup consolidates emerging trends in IoT hardware, including the integration of AI and cloud services at the device level. By supporting both Cat 1 bis and satellite NTN, these modules fill crucial gaps for companies developing in industries like logistics, agriculture, and infrastructure. For manufacturers evaluating new deployments, the Nordic portfolio provides a pathway for migration from legacy networks, while maintaining power efficiency and device longevity. Companies exploring secure, reliable connectivity for diverse IoT applications may find Nordic’s portfolio appropriate for broad and evolving industry requirements. Evaluating the phases of product availability and compatibility with evolving network standards remains essential for robust IoT planning.
