Each quarter, the Azure Sphere team works to open new scenarios to customers through new features on-chip and in the cloud. The Azure Sphere 19.09 release continues this theme by unlocking greater flexibility and diversity in networking scenarios and new peripherals.
We are also pleased to announce that we are making it easier and more cost effective for manufacturers in the Azure Sphere hardware ecosystem to build new devices—including guardian module devices. With this release, we are publishing a reference design for a guardian module, and providing guidance about how an FTDI component on a separate board can leverage the cost of a single FTDI device across many devices via a physical connector.
To build applications that take advantage of this new functionality, please download and install the latest Azure Sphere SDK Preview for Visual Studio. For hardware designs and guidance, please consult the Azure Sphere Hardware Designs GitHub repository. All Wi-Fi and Ethernet-connected Azure Sphere devices will automatically receive an updated Azure Sphere operating system that contains support for these new features.
Specific functionality included in the 19.09 release:
Improved Update Control:
- Deferred Update – Now applications can request that updates (OS or application) be deferred to a later time. This allows the device to complete an operation without being interrupted.
Enabling new chip features:
Tooling and libraries:
- I2C and SPI APIs promoted from Beta to LTS – Continues our process of migrating APIs from beta to long-term supported (LTS) APIs. This permits developers to use I2C and SPI APIs in deployed production applications now.
Expanded connectivity options:
- Crowded SSID environments – Enables Azure Sphere devices to find and negotiate connection to a specific SSID in a crowded Wi-Fi environment using the Wificonfig API in an application or the command-line interface (CLI).
- Hidden SSID support – Enables Azure Sphere devices to connect to Wi-Fi networks that have hidden SSIDs using the Wificonfig API in an application or the command-line interface (CLI).
- Use device certificates with any web service – Enables Azure Sphere devices to authenticate to any HTTPS web service by using the certificates issued by the device authentication and attestation (DAA) service.
Expanded hardware support:
- Guardian module documentation – Provides additional information defining the configurations and usage scenarios available to partners interested in creating or using guardian modules.
- Standalone programming and debugging interface board - Provides a reference design for a board that developers and manufacturers can use to debug and program Azure Sphere products that for cost or space reasons do not integrate the FTDI-based programming and debugging interface found on development boards.
There has never been a better time to begin developing on Azure Sphere, using the development kit or module that best fits your needs, or those of your customer, with highly customizable offerings available.
To kick off an Azure Sphere engagement with your Microsoft representative, contact us.
