Many Android smartphones today have a secure chip that can store and manage cryptographic keys and other secret data. It is called “ESE” for Samsung Galaxy terminals or “Titan M” for Google Pixel.
Originally, these chips were added to provide a foundation of trust upon which systems and software could build. But they can also be used for something else and that’s why Google created “Android Ready SE Alliance”, a consortium formed by the Mountain View giant and a handful of secure chips manufacturers. Namely: Thales, ST Microelectronics, Gieske + Divergent, Keg and NXP.

Together, these players want to create new uses related to secure chips. They intend to explore three main areas: digital keys (car, home, office), identity documents (identity card, passport, driver’s license) and finance (cryptocurrency wallet).
These features will be implemented as interoperable applets. A first applet is already available, named “Strongbox for SE”, which allows the storage of cryptographic keys.
“It is important to note that these features are not just for smartphones and tablets. Strongbox can also be implemented on Windows, Android Auto Embedded and Android TV., Google explains in a blog post.