Seoul, November 20, 2013 – STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving the spectrum of electronics applications and the number one supplier of NFC Universal Integrated Circuit Cards (UICC) and Embedded Secure Element (eSE) applications, has introduced a new generation of its best-selling ST33 line of secure microcontrollers, the ST33G1M2, which delivers cutting-edge performance, enhanced security, lower power consumption, and outstanding multi-interface flexibility.

ST's ST33G1M2 is a special product that can be embedded in a mobile phone NFC UICC, which handles mobile payment functions along with SIM application and user data storage, or as an embedded security-only chip in an NFC smartphone. Both areas are growing rapidly, with SIMallliance, the SIM card manufacturers' association, saying in April this year that NFC-based SIM shipments in its member countries would exceed 30 million units in 2012, up 87% from 2011. Eurosmart forecasts that total Secure Element shipments will exceed 250 million units by 2013.

This product is also unique in that it supports the entire MIFARE® portfolio (MIFARE®Classic, MIFARE DESFire®, MIFARE Plus®). Additionally, the EDES+ accelerator supporting 3-key DES security has been improved, and hardware-accelerated AES encryption (AES-HW) support is also available.

“The embedded and Single Wire Protocol (SWP) SIM secure chip IC market requires the highest levels of security as well as support for key standards and interfaces. SIM card makers and device OEMs are choosing secure chips with larger memory capacities to support a rapidly growing range of applications,” said John Devlin, director at ABI Research. “The ST33G1M2 not only positions ST to deliver this market advantage, but also has the potential to address applications such as pay TV and high-end authentication.”

With the introduction of the ST33G1M2, the ST33 secure microcontroller family is upgraded to suit both NFC UICC and eSE applications, while enhancing interfaces such as Single Wire Protocol (SWP) and Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) to accommodate a wider range of form factors and applications.

“The ST33G1M2 is the next evolution of our ST33 secure microcontrollers, providing even greater performance, flexibility, and enhanced security for future secure mobile applications,” said Laurent Degauque, ST’s Embedded Security Marketing Director. “It is unique in that it combines enhanced connectivity with large on-chip Flash memory, along with support for NFC UICC, eSE applications, and the full MIFARE portfolio, greatly improving the possibilities for secure access to multiple services with a single card.”

Customers using ST's ST33 family can easily migrate from existing solutions to the new ST33G1M2. This is because ST’s tight roadmap maximizes engineering reuse and helps deliver improved eSE or UICC solutions for fast and efficient time to market. In addition, ST has dual-factory supply capabilities for both 8-inch and 12-inch fabs for the production of this product, allowing it to consistently manage lead times and ensure stable supply.

Key Features of ST33G1M2

• ARM® Cortex™-M3 based 32-bit SC300 security core
• 1.2MByte embedded flash
• Targeting EMVCo and EAL5+ certification
• Support for the entire MIFARE® portfolio
• Reduced power consumption and silicon footprint
• Improved connectivity with SPI and GPIO