Bosch BMP390: 50% More Accurate Altitude Sensor for Smartphones, Wearables, and Indoor Navigation

Bosch Sensortec introduces the BMP390 barometric pressure sensor, a leap forward in altitude measurement for smartphones, wearables, and hearables. The new chip delivers 50% higher accuracy than its predecessor, enabling height changes as fine as 10 cm thanks to enhanced resolution.

With a typical relative accuracy of 0.03 hPa, the BMP390 outperforms competing products on the market. Absolute accuracy averages 0.5 hPa, achieved through superior temperature stability, reduced drift, and lower noise.

The sensor remains stable across 0 °C to 65 °C and 700 hPa to 1100 hPa, featuring a temperature‑coefficient offset (TCO) of only 0.6 Pa/K. Noise is reduced to 0.9 Pa typical—25 % better than the BMP380.

Compact (2.0 × 2.0 × 0.75 mm) and power‑efficient (3.2 µA at 1 Hz), the BMP390 extends battery life in portable devices.

Applications

U.S. wireless carriers will soon enforce stricter indoor location accuracy, requiring a ±3 m z‑axis precision for 80 % of E911 calls. Bosch partners with NextNav LLC, a 3D geolocation provider, to deliver this capability. By integrating the BMP390 with NextNav’s Metropolitan Beacon System, smartphones can determine precise three‑dimensional positions indoors.

The sensor also enhances indoor navigation when paired with Bosch’s BHI160BP position‑tracking module, replacing unreliable GPS in shielded environments like underground garages.

Outdoor applications benefit as well: the BMP390 improves GPS‑based navigation and fitness tracking. By detecting whether a user ascends or descends stairs—or lifts weights—calorie estimation accuracy can increase by up to 15 %, and activity tracking (running, walking, cycling) becomes more precise.

The BMP390 is now available for high‑volume smartphone, wearable, and hearable designs.

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