World’s lowest power MCU enters volume production

Ambiq Micro announced that its Apollo MCU, which recently made microcontroller history by demonstrating that it consumes less than half the energy of rivals in real-world applications (EEMBC ULPBench benchmark), is now available for shipping into high volume consumer applications.

The Ambiq Micro Apollo MCU features active mode current in the order of 34µA/MHz when running from flash and sleep mode current less than 150nA. Built around an ARM M4 core with a floating point unit, the device is available with a range of memory options from 64kB to 512kB of embedded flash memory, includes a 10-bit ADC, and has a wide range of serial interfaces. It’s offered in both BGA and WLCSP package options.

Ambiq recently announced that wearables manufacturer, Misfit, selected the Apollo MCU to power its Shine2™ fitness and sleep monitor. Energy consumption was a key design criterion. The Ambiq microcontroller enabled Misift to create a 2nd generation device with several additional attractive functions without compromising the six-month battery life of its predecessor.

The Apollo MCU is available for immediate delivery with prices starting at $1.50 in 10k quantities.