OTA software updates for Variscite’s i.MX 8M based SoM series by Mender
Following an increased demand for secure over-the-air (OTA) software updates solution, Variscite is excited to expand its ecosystem and strengthen the partnership with Mender, a leading robust, secure and end-to-end open-source OTA software update manager for connected devices (Internet of Things). Mender extended its support to additional platforms in Variscite’s portfolio and enabled new integrations with the two popular members of the VAR-SOM Pin2Pin family – VAR-SOM-MX8M-MINI and VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO SOMs based on the i.MX 8M Mini and Nano processors.
Integrating Mender’s software update mechanism will allow Variscite’s customers to remotely manage and deploy both application and system updates with advanced features, that enable risk management for a large-scale device fleet. Common use cases are security patches, bug fixes, and enabling or deployment of new features.
This successful collaboration between the companies started with the integration of the DART-6UL, i.MX 6UL/6ULL/6ULZ based SoM, and VAR-SOM-SOLO/DUAL, i.MX 6 based SoM. With the increasing demand for OTA software updates, it was only natural for the companies to enable these solutions for most recent platforms as well, starting with the VAR-SOM-MX8-MINI and the VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO.
For further information and how to start from scratch instructions, visit Mender’s blog post.
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As AI-driven demand accelerated through 2025, memory chip shortages developed as semiconductor manufacturers shifted capacity to large-volume buyers, leaving many sectors, including medical, industrial, edge/IoT, and robotics poorly served. Climbing prices and lengthening lead times, exacerbated by knock-on effects across other SoM components, have created two clear pressure points. SoM vendors relying on outsourced manufacturing have limited flexibility when availability drops, leaving customers facing the same delays. Separately, product developers who chose chip-down architectures over SoM-based designs must procure components on their own. Those buying in smaller quantities are routinely pushed down supplier priority lists, and in many cases cannot get supply at all.
