Powering secure, contactless convenience in Google Pixel 7

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, has revealed that its ST54K IC is handling control and security for contactless NFC communication in the newly launched Google Pixel 7 smartphone. The ST54K single-chip NFC controller and secure element, combined with Thales’s secure OS, provides reliable and high-performing contactless functionality in Android handsets and is available to all OEMs without restriction.

Chosen by Google’s designers, ST’s device combines NFC control and a certified Secure Element in a single chip that saves space and simplifies handset design. Containing proprietary technologies that enhance NFC contactless sensitivity, the ST54K was selected to ensure the most reliable connectivity, deliver excellent contactless user experiences, and ensure the highest contactless transaction security.

STMicroelectronics has revealed that its ST54K IC is handling control and security for contactless NFC communication in the Google Pixel 7 smartphone. Chosen by Google’s designers, the device combines NFC control and a certified Secure Element in a single chip that saves space and enhances handset design. Containing proprietary technologies that enhance NFC contactless sensitivity, the ST54K was selected to provide reliable connectivity, ease of use, and high contactless transaction security.

For Google’s Pixel 7, ST combined the ST54K with the mobile secure operating system (OS) by Thales. The OS meets high security industry standards and supports convergence of the embedded SAM (eSIM) with other secure NFC applications into the same ST54K secure element. Marie-France Li-Saï Florentin, Vice President of Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group at STMicroelectronics, said Google selected the ST54K for its performance, low power and robust security that meets CC EAL5+ assurance. “As a result, it ensures the best possible user experience and protection for contactless transactions,” Li-Saï Florentin said.

Emmanuel Unguran, SVP Mobile Connectivity Solutions at Thales, said the combination of the ST54K and Thales’s secure OS and personalisation capabilities provides a certified and evolutive solution for smartphones to support diverse digital services, such as embedded SIM for instant connectivity and digital wallet services, transit ticketing and digital car keys. “It is also the first in the Android ecosystem to support the eSIM Multiple Enabled Profiles,” Unguran said.

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