Oracle has revealed the latest version of its Java Card, used for securing internet of things (IoT) devices such as smartwatches and other hardware that process large amounts of information.

Java Card 3.1 can be used in a vast array of applications, from telecoms devices and contactless payments terminals to cars, smart meters and wearables. It will help simplify the rollout of 5G technologies, securing the transfer of data between the device and the network, whether 5G or NBIoT networks.

“Connected devices’ volumes are expected to increase in the upcoming years, posing an increasingly complex challenge as growth adds system complexity to the infrastructure handling device data,” Volker Gerstenberger, president and chair of the Java Card Forum said.

“Java Card 3.1 is very significant to the Internet of Things, bringing interoperability, security and flexibility to a fast-growing market currently lacking high-security and flexible edge security solutions.”

Some of Java Card 3.1’s new features include support for deploying edge security services using an I/O model to transport sensitive data using a range of physical layers and application protocols.

It also introduces new APIs that specifically address the rapidly-evolving IoT marketplace demands, such as the ability to exchange sensitive data with other connected devices. Multiple applications can be installed on each chip, with the option of adding more after it has been deployed.

With full developer support for creating new services and applications, Java Card 3.1 makes developing, enhancing and deploying security-centric applications a much easier task, Oracle explained.

“Java Card is already used and trusted as a leading security platform for countless devices in the multi-billion-dollar smart card and secure element industry,” said Florian Tournier, senior director for Java Card at Oracle.

“The 3.1 release enables the rollout of security and SIM applications on the same chip, allowing those services to be used on a large spectrum of networks from NB-IoT to 5G, and on a wide range of devices.”