February 21, 2013, Seoul – STMicroelectronics (ST), a global semiconductor company providing a wide range of electronic applications, has begun supplying samples of a new family of microcontrollers featuring the industry's highest-performing 180MHz ARM Cortex-M4 core and graphics-related upgrades. At the same time, it is partnering with major vendor Segger to expand software support for embedded graphics development. Mass production of the 168MHz series, which boasts ultra-high on-chip memory density, has also begun following sampling in 2012.

The new product is the 180MHz STM32F429/39 series, which further expands the excellent performance of the STM32 family of Cortex-M microcontrollers. New manufacturing and design methods have reduced stop mode current, enabling extended battery life for portable applications. The STM32F429/39 features new capabilities such as a TFT-LCD controller, the ST Chrom-ART Accelerator™ for fast graphics, and an SDRAM interface, allowing for richer and more diverse content and more intuitive operation through the UIs of smart meters, small appliances, and industrial/medical devices.

Multi-channel audio designs are possible with I2S TDM[1] connections. Some devices are also equipped with the latest copy protection security programs for embedded processors. With the new STemWin graphics software announced today, you can utilize Seger's emWin graphics stack, and the software is optimized to make the most of the new hardware graphics capabilities.

STemWin is provided free of charge to STM32 customers and includes the 'Segar VNC (Virtual Network Computing) system,' which enables remote viewing of the UI using Internet protocols. Other key features include a window manager and widget package, touchscreen/mouse support, and a memory device context capable of flicker-free screen updates.

"With the launch of the STM32F429/39 series, the STM32 series has achieved another significant benchmark. We are also very pleased to offer STemWin in partnership with Seger for high-quality graphics development. It is the perfect timing for our customers to maximize the capabilities of the new STM32F429/39," said Michel Buffa, General Manager of ST Microcontroller Business Unit.

"Mass production of the STM32F427/37 series, first introduced in November 2012, has also begun. These devices provide high-performance cores and the industry's highest memory density, supporting a wide range of functional applications and powerful software environments," added Director Vipa.

The STM32F429/39 is currently being sampled to key customers and is available in the existing LQFP100, LQFP144, WLCSP, LQFP176, and UFBGA176 packages. Additionally, two new package options with over 200 pins, the LQFP208 and TFBGA216, have been introduced. These packages provide additional I/O to help maximize the performance and functionality of these devices.

The price of the STM32F429VGT6 with 1 MByte flash and 256 Byte SRAM is $7.60 in the LQFP100 package, and the price of the STM32F439BIT6 with 2 MByte flash, 256 KByte RAM, and crypto/hash processor is $10.23 in the LQFP208 package. Product pricing is based on an annual order of 10,000 units.