Silicon Labs Launches Z‑Wave 700 Series: Extended Range, Ultra‑Low Power, and Rapid Time‑to‑Market

Silicon Labs has introduced the next generation of its Z‑Wave platform, the Z‑Wave 700 family, which builds on the highly efficient Gecko MCU. The new modules deliver longer wireless range while drawing 3× less current than previous releases, making them ideal for battery‑powered smart‑home devices worldwide.

Ultra‑Low Power Design

Thanks to the Cortex‑M4 32‑bit core, the Z‑Wave 700 can run a real‑time operating system and use its event‑driven architecture to avoid the polling loops that drained earlier models. The result is a sleep mode that consumes less than 1 µA, and overall power usage that is significantly reduced.

Region‑agnostic SAW Filter

The integrated surface‑acoustic‑wave (SAW) filter is compatible with all major frequency bands, enabling developers to target any market without redesigning the RF front‑end.

Silicon Labs Z‑Wave 700 Wireless Starter Kit (Source: Silicon Labs)

Fast Time‑to‑Market

The platform adopts a software building‑block strategy, using precertified modules that, according to Silicon Labs, cover 90 % of the certification effort. Built‑in OTA update capability and Z‑Wave S2 security are also included. The SmartStart feature allows secure device inclusion in under one second.

Products based on the Z‑Wave 700—modem SoC, SiP module, and starter kit—are already shipping to selected Z‑Wave Alliance members and will be available in the first half of 2019.