Soracom Discovery 2025: Unlocking New Possibilities in IoT Connectivity and AI Automation
Written by: Ryan Carlson
Published: July 28, 2025
At Soracom Discovery 2025, Soracom’s annual keynote event, we unveiled a powerful lineup of new and enhanced capabilities aimed at simplifying IoT connectivity, accelerating data analysis, and improving device management. These innovations tackle some of the most common challenges faced by IoT developers and enterprises, helping teams deploy, manage, and scale IoT solutions more easily around the world.
Here’s a look at the major announcements:
Platform Services Announcements
Soracom Query (Update): Unlocking Deeper IoT Data Insights
The Challenge: On the Soracom platform, customers often lack direct, easy access to their own operational connectivity data, such as session history or user data. This presents a challenge for those looking to identify problematic SIMs or understand usage patterns as these types of investigations typically require manual effort, multiple data exports, or even direct support from Soracom engineers. Soracom Query is a platform service that was created to allow customers to manually submit SQL queries of their data. As it stands, querying data with SQL can be difficult for many users, which leaves an unmet need in the user experience for users responsible for connectivity operations.
The Solution: Soracom Query empowers users to freely analyze and visualize their own data, including platform data and Harvest Data, directly from the user console. It simplifies data analysis by allowing users to ask questions in natural language, much like a support bot, and uses a data warehouse (Snowflake) to generate optimal visualizations automatically. For advanced users, API access and integration with Business Intelligence (BI) tools like Tableau or Looker Studio via a Snowflake read-only account are also available. Query also applies limits on execution time and query period to ensure security and prevent abuse.
The Value: Soracom Query provides improved visibility and control over IoT deployments by enabling customers to quickly identify issues like problematic SIMs, detect abnormal session events, peruse map location data, and aggregate sensor data for alerts, all without needing to contact support or build custom monitoring systems. This creates opportunities for significant operational efficiency improvements and cost savings.
Availability: Soracom Query is transitioning from early access to a full release. It is offered with a Business Plan and a trial option. An Enterprise Plan is also available for more extensive BI tool integration.
Flux App Templates (New): Lowering the Barrier to IoT Application Development
The Challenge: While Soracom Flux offers powerful capabilities for building serverless IoT applications that can easily integrate data processing using AI models, its usefulness is limited by a user’s programming knowledge.
- Setup in Flux App Studio often requires foundational programming knowledge, which can be a barrier for non-engineers.
- Third parties or integrated solution providers cannot easily share pre-built applications, scripts, Flux-based automations, or workflows.
The Solution: Soracom has introduced Flux App Templates, a new feature that provides a “catalog” of use case templates for common IoT applications. Users can select a template, which will automatically generate a workflow that can be customized through a simple user interface, often without needing to write any code.
The Value: This makes Soracom Flux significantly more accessible to non-engineers and drastically simplifies the initial setup of IoT application logic, accelerating development and deployment of projects that leverage Soracom Flux.
Availability: Flux App Templates represent a new major feature upgrade.
Flux Video Analysis (New): Expanding AI Capabilities to Video
The Challenge: Soracom Flux AI Actions, which enable the transmission of device data to AI models for analysis, had previously been limited to text or image-based inputs. This restricted the types of applications that could be built, especially for scenarios involving video streams. The solution up to this point was to have device-side scripts that captured several frames of a video for processing rather than processing the actual video in the cloud.
The Solution: Soracom Flux AI Actions now support sending video clips to AI models for analysis. This expands the range of AI models that can be leveraged within Flux apps to include those capable of video analysis, such as Amazon Bedrock (Nova Lite, Nova Pro) and Google Gemini 2.0 models (Flash-Lite, Flash). Users can specify video URLs (e.g., from Harvest Data) for analysis.
The Value: This enhancement unlocks new possibilities for advanced IoT applications, such as using motion detection as a trigger to analyze video for compliance with work procedures, or security and monitoring purposes. It broadens the scope of data that can be intelligently processed at the edge and in the cloud.
Availability: Flux Video Analysis is currently available.
Soracom MCP Server (New): Unlocking AI Interaction with Your IoT Data
The Challenge: Users frequently encounter difficulty in accessing and interacting with their Soracom data directly from advanced AI platforms like OpenAI or Claude. Beyond the technical hurdles, creating a custom Model Context Protocol (MCP) server – can be difficult for some users, and there’s often hesitation to use an MCP server built by the community due to trust or maintenance concerns. This limits the potential for AI to provide dynamic insights and automation for IoT deployments.
The Solution: Soracom is addressing these challenges by providing an official MCP server that functions as a “USB-C port for AI applications.” This solution offers a standardized way to connect AI models to various data sources and tools, allowing them to interact directly with the Soracom API Server. Users will be able to install the Soracom MCP server on their local machine and configure their MCP client (such as VS Code or Claude Desktop) to connect to it, enabling interactions through a familiar chat interface. This allows AI systems to leverage not only their training data but also external, live Soracom information. While the specifications are still under discussion, a TypeScript version has already been implemented.
The Value: This feature delivers significant value by enabling AI systems like OpenAI and Claude to access and interact with Soracom data, opening up new possibilities for IoT management. Key benefits include:
- Diagnosing abnormal SIM behavior: Users can specify a problematic SIM and utilize diagnostic features to investigate issues and identify solutions.
- Configuration Support: The system can act as a support bot, allowing users to inquire about SIM configuration through chat and executing relevant API calls on their behalf, assisting from setup to full configuration.
- MCP Server Integration: Integrate with a customer’s existing MCP server within their IoT system, facilitating the consolidation and sharing of information across different MCP environments.
- Billing Information Display: Users can easily view billing information and histories.
- Fine-Grained API Control: It provides precise control over the API actions AI models can perform, including tasks like listing, activating, or deactivating SIMs, retrieving SIM statistics, and checking the latest billing data.
Availability: Soracom MCP Server was announced at Soracom Discovery 2025 as a forward-looking example of Soracom’s engineering efforts in AI enablement. While the full architecture and implementation timelines are still under discussion, an early version will be released under an MIT license as Early Access on GitHub and npm.
Connectivity Management and Operations Announcements
Soracom Managed Roles (New): Simplifying User Permission Management
The Challenge: Setting up user permissions for Soracom Access Management (SAM) users can be challenging due to the complexity of determining what to allow or deny, and the intricate JSON syntax required for permission policies. This can be a hurdle for many users and requires manual adjustments when new APIs are introduced.
The Solution: Soracom Managed Roles are pre-defined roles managed by Soracom that simplify the process of assigning permissions. Users can now easily impose API usage restrictions by simply selecting a role that fits their purpose from the user console, without needing to understand complex JSON syntax or worry about future API changes. These roles support versioning, with Soracom continuously updating them to reflect the latest APIs, ensuring permissions remain current.
The Value: This feature significantly reduces the difficulty of SAM user permission management, saving time and reducing the risk of misconfigurations. It ensures that non-technical users (such as accounting staff or read-only viewers) have appropriate access without requiring administrators to constantly update policies.
Availability: Soracom Managed Roles were released publicly on July 11th, 2025.
[SIM] Batch Processing (New): Efficient Bulk Operations for SIMs
The Challenge: Operations like updating settings, assigning to groups, or changing statuses for large numbers of SIMs (i.e. more than 100) can be cumbersome and time-consuming. While APIs can help simplify these processes, writing scripts for these tasks can be a huge hassle for many users, and manual operations are impractical for bulk management.
The Solution: SIM Batch Processing allows Soracom to execute a large number of API calls on behalf of customers by simply uploading a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file. Customers can export their SIM data to a CSV file, make necessary edits (e.g., updating tags, group assignments, or activation/suspension statuses) locally, and then upload the file. The system offers error handling options, allowing users to choose whether to stop processing on an error or continue.
The Value: This feature provides a user-friendly way to perform bulk operations on many SIMs without writing complex scripts. It greatly improves efficiency for everyday management tasks across large fleets of IoT devices.
Availability: SIM Batch Processing was released on July 15th, 2025. It’s important to note that, for now, API calls are made sequentially, meaning it is not suitable for scenarios requiring very high throughput (e.g., 1000 SIMs in 5 seconds).
Connectivity Services Announcements
Soracom Connectivity Hypervisor: Advanced eSIM Profile Management for Global Flexibility with SGP.32
The Challenge: Updating connectivity after devices are deployed can be expensive and difficult, often requiring SIM swaps, device replacements, or field visits. But as coverage needs change – whether that be due to local roaming rules, higher data demands, or network shutdowns – businesses need a way to adapt remotely. Global deployments may also need access to different carrier profiles to maintain reliable service across regions. Soracom Connectivity Hypervisor helps ensure devices never feel locked into one provider. For MVNOs like Soracom, it means customers can stay flexible without giving up centralized control.
The Solution: SGP.32 is a new GSMA specification that acts like a “connectivity hypervisor” for IoT devices, offering dynamic control over which carrier profile is active on a compatible eSIM. With this capability, Soracom can send remote commands to download and activate new profiles when needed, for example, to support a regulatory requirement in a new region or to enable a higher-capacity profile. If the customer later changes providers, their new provider can issue a command to re-enable the original Soracom profile, assuming it remains on the eSIM.
SGP.32 enables profile fallback capabilities, allowing a compatible device to switch to a previously downloaded backup profile if the active one becomes unusable. While this behavior depends on device implementation, it offers a powerful tool for maintaining connectivity in critical deployments.
The Value: Soracom Connectivity Hypervisor enables customers to build IoT products that are more adaptable and future-ready, with fewer hardware SKUs and greater freedom to align connectivity with evolving technical or business needs. This flexibility is particularly valuable in applications like connected vehicles or global asset tracking, where long lifecycles and international mobility are the norm.
Availability: Soracom Connectivity Hypervisor and SIMs compliant with SGP.32 were announced at Discovery 2025 and are planned for release around March 2026. They represent a significant step beyond existing subscription containers and are designed to meet mandatory requirements for the latest connected car platforms.
Test Mode (New): Cost-Free Device Provisioning and Connectivity Testing
The Challenge: Before deploying IoT devices, businesses often need to test their connectivity and perform initial provisioning, but incurring usage fees during this pre-deployment phase can be costly and inefficient.
The Solution: Soracom’s new Test Mode introduces a “Testing” status for Soracom Air IoT SIMs. When a SIM in “Ready” status connects to a network for the first time, it automatically switches to “Testing.” During this period, data and SMS usage fees are waived up to specified limits. Once these limits are reached (e.g., a certain amount of data, SMS, or time), the SIM automatically transitions to an “Active” status or another pre-designated status.
The Value: This feature allows for network communication tests and initial device provisioning during manufacturing without immediate usage costs, providing significant cost savings and operational flexibility. It simplifies the pre-deployment phase, ensuring devices are ready for activation only when truly needed.
Availability: Test Mode has already been released. To enable it, customers need to contact Soracom and provide their Operator ID, desired SIM subscriptions, and preferred limits.
New Hardware Announcements (Japan and UK Only)
SoraCam Outdoor Starter Kit & Solar Kit (New): Enabling Outdoor Surveillance
The Challenge: SoraCam, Soracom’s cloud-connected camera solution, was primarily designed for indoor use with Wi-Fi. Customers needed robust and reliable solutions for outdoor surveillance, even in locations without readily available power sources.
The Solution:
- The SoraCam Outdoor Starter Kit bundles an Atom Cam Swing camera with a USB dongle LTE Wi-Fi router, a high-capacity upload SIM, an outdoor enclosure, and a waterproof AC power adapter. This allows for continuous outdoor recording with a power source.
- The SoraCam Outdoor Solar Kit takes this a step further by including solar panels, a storage battery, a router, and a high-capacity SIM. This kit is designed to provide three days of continuous recording even without sunlight, ensuring uninterrupted operation in remote or power-scarce environments.
The Value: These kits extend SoraCam’s capabilities to outdoor environments, enabling continuous and reliable surveillance in locations previously challenging to monitor. They offer a cost-effective solution for long-term outdoor deployment compared to traditional alternatives.
Availability: Both kits are Japan-only releases. They became available for purchase starting on the day of Discovery.
GPS + Beacon Edge Unit (New): Versatile IoT Data Collection
The Challenge: IoT applications often require a single, integrated device capable of collecting diverse types of data, including location, environmental conditions, and proximity information, simplifying deployment and data management.
The Solution: The new GPS + Beacon Edge Unit is a versatile device that supports five types of measurements: GNSS (GPS), Bluetooth gateway (for beacons), acceleration, temperature, and humidity. It offers flexible power options (battery, USB, DC power) and can be connected to external antennas. It seamlessly integrates with the Soracom platform for unified data endpoint delivery, bulk data writing to Harvest Data, and remote configuration via SIM group settings.
The Value: This two-in-one device simplifies data collection for a wide range of IoT applications by combining multiple sensors and a Bluetooth gateway into a single unit. It streamlines data handling and device management within the Soracom ecosystem.
Availability: The GPS + Beacon Edge Unit hardware will be available for sale in Japan on July 16th, 2025, and will be shipped after August 1st. The launch date for Europe is still TBD.
New Software Offering
Wisora (New): AI-Powered Knowledge and Chatbot Creation
The Challenge: Customers often struggle to effectively utilize their accumulated knowledge, and creating comprehensive support systems or chatbots can be complex and resource-intensive.
The Solution: Wisora is a new service that leverages generative AI (building on the existing Soracom Support Bot) to help users accumulate knowledge and generate documents. It simplifies chatbot creation: for example, the Wisora Starter plan allows users to create a chat interface by simply providing a URL or uploading HTML/PDF files. The Wisora Pro plan expands on this with increased document capacity, API integration, and AI response accuracy evaluation, even allowing the inclusion of internal “secret recipe” knowledge without public disclosure. The Wisora Enterprise plan offers further integrations with existing support systems like Zendesk. Administrators can easily review chat logs and user feedback, and modify prompts to customize the bot’s behavior and responses.
The Value: Wisora provides an easy, self-service way to create powerful AI-driven chatbots for customer support and knowledge management, significantly boosting operational efficiency by reducing inquiries and providing instant, intelligent assistance. It helps businesses transform their knowledge into actionable wisdom for users.
Availability: Wisora was announced at Discovery 2025. Wisora Starter is currently available, with Pro and Enterprise plans offering more advanced features in future releases.
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