Infineon’s announcement was made on December 21, 2018—not in 2026. The company said its SLM 97 security controller was the world’s first industrial-grade eSIM in a wafer-level chip-scale package (WLCSP), available in volume quantities. Measuring 2.5 × 2.7 mm and rated from −40°C to +105°C, it targeted compact, sealed and difficult-to-service equipment such as vending machines, meters, asset trackers and factory sensors. The launch mattered because it addressed both the board-space and environmental constraints that had limited cellular connectivity in industrial products. Buyers today should treat SLM 97 as a historical launch and verify current SLM and OPTIGA Connect devices, specifications and availability directly with Infineon.
What Infineon launched
The SLM 97 is a security controller that implements the embedded-SIM function; it is not a cellular modem. Infineon described it as an industrial-grade eSIM for machine-to-machine and IoT equipment. The 2018 announcement specified a wafer-level chip-scale package, a 2.5 × 2.7 mm footprint and operation from −40°C to +105°C. Infineon said volume production was available from its Dresden and Regensburg manufacturing locations.
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The “world’s first” wording is Infineon’s claim, reported by EE Times and in the company announcement carried by PR Newswire APAC; it should not be read as an independently certified industry ranking.
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The original coverage is dated December 21, 2018: EE Times historical announcement. “New” therefore describes that launch period, not a current 2026 product release.
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Why a WLCSP package matters
In WLCSP, the package interconnects are formed at wafer level, close to the silicon die’s footprint. That can free board area compared with a larger embedded or removable-SIM arrangement and gives a designer more freedom to position the secure element near the modem and related circuitry. A small soldered device is also useful in a sealed enclosure where a SIM tray would be vulnerable to tampering, contamination or accidental removal.
For an industrial OEM, the benefits are practical rather than cosmetic:
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- More room for sensors, power-management parts and radio circuitry on a compact PCB.
- Less dependence on a removable SIM socket and its mechanical parts.
- A better fit for miniature trackers, remote sensors and embedded factory equipment.
- A path to one hardware design for several markets, when the connectivity service supports the required profiles.
WLCSP does not automatically lower the total product cost. Its small pads can demand tighter PCB layout, automated placement, optical inspection and controlled moisture handling. Manual rework is harder, and a package choice can narrow second-source options. Infineon’s contemporary reporting linked the package to design flexibility and potentially simpler production; those are design goals, not guaranteed savings. The technical summary is available at EE Times.
Why industrial qualification changes the design decision
Remote industrial equipment can experience temperature cycling, vibration, shock, humidity and contamination while remaining inaccessible for years. Infineon’s industrial security-controller portfolio emphasizes extended-temperature operation, endurance and applications including asset tracking, smart metering, vending and industrial IoT: Infineon industrial security controllers.
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The SLM 97’s −40°C to +105°C specification applies to the device as specified; it is not a system-level qualification. An OEM must still validate:
- Temperature at the component under the actual enclosure and duty cycle.
- WLCSP solder-joint reliability under board flex, vibration and shock.
- Moisture sensitivity, storage and reflow handling.
- PCB materials, assembly controls and contamination limits.
- The qualification standards, service life and failure-rate targets of the finished product.
What an eSIM changes for an industrial OEM
An eSIM is a soldered secure element that stores subscriber credentials and operator profiles. The modem still performs LTE, LTE-M, NB-IoT or other radio communication, and the antenna still determines much of the real-world link performance. Infineon’s overview explains the eSIM role in remote provisioning and profile management: Infineon eSIM applications.
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- Integrated Display: Features a 2.0-inch HD IPS capacitive multi-touch screen for intuitive interaction and data visualization.
- Robust Connectivity: Built-in Wi-Fi and versatile interfaces (RS485/I2C/GPIO/UART) provide seamless connectivity and expandability for various sensors and devices.
- Low Power Management: Incorporates advanced power management solutions, including RTC wake-up capabilities, for energy-efficient operation.
When the hardware, eSIM operating system and service platform are compatible, an OEM can provision or change profiles without sending a technician to open the equipment. That can enable:
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- Sealed or tamper-resistant products without a SIM tray.
- A common hardware SKU for multiple countries.
- Operator changes when coverage, pricing or commercial agreements change.
- Lower field-maintenance exposure for meters, vending machines and infrastructure sensors.
Profile switching is not unrestricted. It depends on the GSMA architecture, operator contracts, subscription-management platform, regional regulation, coverage and the device software that performs the required management operations. A chip alone does not provide a global data plan.
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Industrial use cases
| Use case | Why a miniature industrial eSIM helps |
|---|---|
| Smart meters | Fits a sealed enclosure, supports long unattended service and can enable remote operator management. |
| Asset trackers | Preserves scarce PCB area and is designed for temperature variation and difficult physical access. |
| Vending machines | Supports remote monitoring without routine SIM removal during servicing. |
| Factory sensors and automation equipment | Supports ruggedized, permanently installed designs where maintenance access is limited. |
| Industrial gateways | Can support multi-market deployment and profile-management flexibility alongside the gateway modem. |
| Commercial telematics and smart-city equipment | Reduces reliance on removable SIM hardware in distributed installations. |
Infineon’s application material also identifies industrial automation, asset tracking, smart energy and smart-city deployments: OPTIGA Connect IoT datasheet.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the SLM 97 does not include
- Cellular radio: a separate modem must support the required bands and technologies.
- Antenna performance: placement, matching and enclosure effects remain system-design tasks.
- Connectivity subscription: a carrier or managed IoT provider must supply service.
- Profile-management cloud: remote provisioning requires compatible operator and management infrastructure.
- Device lifecycle management: firmware, credentials, monitoring and end-of-life processes remain the OEM’s responsibility.
SLM 97 in Infineon’s broader portfolio
Infineon now presents both SLM security controllers and OPTIGA Connect turnkey eSIM solutions. These are different purchasing models. A component-only SLM design can provide more control over the eSIM OS, provisioning partner and connectivity choices, but the OEM must integrate those pieces. A turnkey OPTIGA Connect approach can shorten deployment by combining secure hardware, software and bootstrap connectivity, while tying the product more closely to the supported vendor ecosystem.
Available OPTIGA Connect documentation must be dated carefully. The cited datasheet is dated February 18, 2022, and the product presentation is dated September 2023; neither independently proves exact specifications or ordering status in August 2026. The datasheet describes GSMA SGP.02 v3.2, an MFF2 package, ISO 7816 UART, 1.8/3/5 V classes and Common Criteria EAL5+ hardware: dated OPTIGA Connect datasheet. A product brief lists up to ten operator profiles, coverage of 640+ networks in 200 countries and territories, −40°C to +105°C operation and an MFF2 package: OPTIGA Connect IoT product brief.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchOlder SGP.02 M2M workflows are not identical to newer IoT or consumer eSIM deployments. Infineon’s application page references Kigen support for M2M, consumer and IoT specifications, including SGP.32: Infineon and Kigen eSIM context. Confirm the architecture before freezing hardware, software or service contracts.
Engineering and procurement checklist
Hardware
- Confirm WLCSP, MFF2 or another required footprint and all PCB keep-outs.
- Check component, modem, battery and enclosure temperature limits together.
- Validate assembly, inspection, moisture handling, rework and mechanical qualification.
- Confirm interface, supply-voltage class, profile-storage capacity and required security certification.
- Obtain production-volume, longevity and supply-continuity commitments.
Connectivity
- Map target countries, radio bands and exposure to 2G or 3G shutdowns.
- Determine whether LTE-M, NB-IoT, LTE or another technology is required; do not infer 5G support from older eSIM documents.
- Define bootstrap connectivity, roaming, fallback and operator-coverage requirements.
- Specify how many profiles are needed and who can change them after deployment.
Software and commercial integration
- Identify the GSMA model: M2M, consumer or IoT.
- Confirm compatibility with the selected SM-DP+, SM-SR, SMDP+ or other profile-management ecosystem.
- Plan LPA or equivalent device-side software where required.
- Clarify operator certification, manufacturing provisioning, secure-key handling and regional regulatory obligations.
- Put security updates, profile-service continuity, operator changes and end-of-life replacement into the ten-year product plan.
Bottom line for 2026 buyers
The significance of Infineon’s SLM 97 launch was not simply its 2.5 × 2.7 mm size. It brought an eSIM security controller with an industrial temperature claim into a package suited to smaller, sealed and long-lived cellular equipment. That solved an important integration barrier in 2018. In 2026, the correct decision is not to assume the historical SLM 97 announcement remains a current catalog promise, but to compare Infineon’s available SLM and OPTIGA Connect options against the required package, GSMA architecture, radio platform, operator agreements, certification and lifecycle support. Infineon’s industrial portfolio is documented at its security-controller page and eSIM applications page.
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