3 bit-per-cell NAND is sampled out the manufacturers. The 3 bit per cell is exactly that, 3 bits of information are stored in each NAND cell. This increased the capacity while keeping the foot print the same size. This ultimately leads to larger storage capacity at a cheaper price. Traditionally, SLC [Single Layer Cell] and MLC [Multi Layer Cell] technology is used is USB and SD flash, but we will begin to see TLC [Triple Layer Cell or 3 bit per cell] technology have a full roll-out by the end of this year.
Over the past 18 months the biggest problem with TLC is the stability of the memory and performance, but Intel and Micron feel they overcame those problems and ready for production. More with their press release: (more…)
NAND memory grew at a fast pace until 2006, then the core memory market got mature and slowed down. The NAND segment makes up most the market with SD formats consuming about 50% of the market share, with MP3, USB and CF media making the balance.
In 2007, supply overtook demand and this trend continues in 2008 and in also 2009 this trend is expected to continue owing to high bit growth in supply. The impact of financial crises is still diffusing, and the consumer confidence is relatively low with the global recession. In United States NAND flash shipments have declined due to changing technologies and adverse market conditions. Flash memory prices are increasing which is affecting demand and supply.
SSD is one of the applications of flash memory which is gaining market demand and is expected to perform as a key growth driver in near future. Portable applications such as UFD, MP3, DSC and DV Cam are major product categories leading to rise in demand of flash memory worldwide.
To learn more about the NAND flash memory market please visit AARKStore for more details. Cost is $850.
SD cards come in all sorts of GB sizes and speeds. Today I thought it a good idea to take a look inside an SD card along with breaking out the speed differences.
To start, the SD media is broken down into “Classes” The Class depicts the speeds at which a device reads and writes.
There are different speed grades available, measured the same as CD-ROMs, in multiples of 150 kB/s (1x = 150 kB/s). Basic cards transfer data up to six times (6x) the data rate of the standard CD-ROM speed (900 kB/s vs. 150 kB/s).
The maximum read speed and maximum write speed may be different. Maximum write speed typically is lower than maximum read speed. Some digital cameras require high-speed cards (write speed) to record video smoothly or capture multiple still photographs in rapid succession. This requires a certain sustained speed, or the video stops recording. For recording, a high maximum speed with a low sustained speed is no better than a low speed card. The 2.0 specification defines speeds up to 200x.
Some manufacturers use the read speed in their X-ratings, while others (Kingston, for example) use write speed.
SD Cards and SDHC Cards have Speed Class Ratings defined by the SD Association. The SD Speed Class Ratings specify the following minimum write speeds based on “the best fragmented state where no memory unit is occupied”:[9]
SD and SDHC cards will often also advertise a maximum speed (such as (more…)
For those who know, the Samsung branded NAND flash memory is considered the Tier 1 quality that everyone talks about. It’s the best stuff out there…highest quality, best in performance, yet always a touch above others [Micron, Hynix, etc] in price.
Well that might change because Samsung is entering the retail market with their solid state flash of Secure Digital, Compact Flash and microSD media.
Samsung will release sizes from 4GB to 16GB capacity before the end of 2009. These cards will be in the ‘Plus’ memory card class and compliant with the Secure Digital class 6 performance standards. Cards boust a speed range of 17Mbps to 45Mbps.
Intel and Micron are two of the primary NAND flash memory makers and are partners in such manufacturing. Earlier this month they announced new technology capable of 3-bit per cell storage which is based off 34-nanometer technology.
The 3-bit per cell concept allows for more storage in the same realestat of flash memory. This imporvement yields larger storage capacity of flash drives and SSD at a lower price.
However, the new technology doesn’t come without some draw backs. According to Kevin Kilbuck, Director of NAND marketing at Micron indicates the 3-bit per cell technology isn’t as stable as they’d like.
For example, Kevin indicates the 3-bit per cell NAND technology will be found in less mission critical devices like USB flash drives, SD memory and CF memory. The technology will not find it’s way into SolidState Disks until the manufacturing process is perfected.
“The companies explained that they need more experience in production volumes before they will be confident to position it as a chip suitable for the high-write environment of the SSD”
You can expect the 3-bit per cell to hit the streets sometime in Q1 of 2010.
However, as with most technology, it’s on the way out before it’s ever even in; SanDisk and Toshiba disclosed in February that they had developed 4-bit-per-cell technology, which the two companies said was the highest-capacity flash memory technology in the industry. (more…)
Samsung is looking to strengthen their digital memory storage line with a possible purchase of SanDisk. SanDisk is currently the #1 supplier of solid state flash memory, world wide [such as Secure Digital, miniSD, microSD and many more]. Samsung is the top producer of flash memory chips.
Through an acquisition, Samsung would strengthen it’s channel for supplying it’s flash chip to retail and channel sales of end-user flash memory.
With weak chip prices and fluctuating buyer habits, a move like this could strengthen Samsung’s position and would put Samsung at over 50% of world wide control of production, distribution and sales of NAND flash memory.
Avi Cohen of Avian Securities said it was an “unlikely prospect” due to SanDisk being unwilling to sell at the bottom of the cycle, and Samsung becoming a direct competitor to many of its customers and regulatory concerns. “Regulators in the US, Korea and Europe among others will likely have issue with one player controlling north of 50 per cent of NAND [Flash memory] supply,” he said.
Another option is Samsung reducing it’s royalty license to SanDisk to gain synergy with the top seller, reduce SanDisk’s bottom line and secure channel distribution of flash memory.
However if a deal goes ahead, it could block efforts by Samsung rivals Toshiba and Hynix Semiconductor to topple Samsung’s market leadership. Toshiba runs joint production lines with SanDisk and Hynix is also conducting joint re-search with the US group. Samsung controls 42.3 per cent of the NAND flash memory market, trailed by Toshiba with 27.5 per cent and Hynix with 13.4 per cent, says market researcher iSuppli.
Source: Financial Times.
DRAMeXchange published a market research paper stating that NAND flash memory will continue to flood the market at lower prices. NAND flash memory is primarily used for storing songs, photos and other data on gadget type devices like digital cameras, MP3 players and iPods. The biggest contributing factor on why the market will continue to see cheap NAND is lack of sales.
Since production forecasts run months ahead, the market has sitting inventory. To move this inventory prices are continueing to drop. For example, DRAMeXchange reported a drop of 20% in June for NAND memory related devices.
The NAND flash market has been so bad that the creator of the chips, SanDisk, on Monday reported a surprise loss of US$68 million for the second quarter. The company blamed the supply glut for its problems, pointing out that it sold a record amount of flash, 120 percent more than the same time last year, but that prices are down 55 percent compared to then.
SanDisk also reported the flash memory pricing might get worse [better for us] in the third quarter. So, it might be a good idea to start picking out your Christmas items now and make sure it’s some type of flash gadget.
On the flip side, with today’s surplus means these companies are cutting back production as well, so once this flood dries up, we could see a shortage for NAND and prices jumping up…and the cycle goes on.
Source: Network World.
Despite many industry players believing both the memory card and USB drive markets are saturated, Kingston Technology company president John Tu recently said substantial business potential still exists.
Citing average monthly shipments of 20 million units for both memory cards and USB drives, Tu said the huge shipments imply that these markets are still growing. He thinks memory cards and USB drives serve as a “platform” for consumers to interact with different kinds of content.
While many people think memory device makers should pay digital content providers in order to add content to their products, Tu said it should be the providers paying Kingston to distribute content via its well-established sales network, brand and market share. He added in saying that shipments of both memory cards and USB drives are set to expand further in the future.
However, Kingston remains cautious about solid-state drives (SSDs). Tu stressed that the company will only tap into segments it is certain will grow, but once it extends a presence, it will produce in big volumes in order to grab a large share of the market quickly. Kingston believes this is the business strategy it is good at. He recalled the deployment in NAND flash as an example, saying that Kingston only made its decision when the market proved to have substantial potential.
Source + Photo: Digital Times.
I have my reasons for watching the flash memory market. One of the key elements I look for is falling flash memory prices. For me, dropping memory prices’ is an indicator other activities I’m in will continue to grow. Today I read an interesting article which gave some great detail about the continued drop of flash memory.
I’ll start off with a quote to the article, then you can click through for more:
Prices of NAND flash memory could plummet this year because of weak demand and an oversupply of NAND flash in the market, analysts said on Wednesday.
If concerns about the U.S. economy deepen, consumers may reduce spending on the phones and other devices that use NAND flash, weakening demand for the chips and depressing prices, said Nam Hyung Kim, director and chief memory analyst for iSuppli. He predicted that prices could fall by as much as 55 percent this year.
Up to 90 percent of NAND flash is sold as storage for MP3 players and cell phones, or as cards such as the MicroSD that are slotted into digital cameras and other devices.
The reduced price for flash could lead to cheaper products for consumers. Apple already dropped the price of its 1G-byte iPod Shuffle this week, to US$49 from $79, partly because of the falling prices of flash memory, said Shaw Wu, an analyst with American Technology Research.
More.
While forecasting strong sales and profitability in 2008, Silicon Motion projects that demand for low-density NAND flash will beat that for the high-density segment, driven by demand for microSD cards and embedded memory, said company president and CEO Wallace Kou.
Silicon Motion guides that annual sales will grow by 25-35% on year with gross margins to stay in the range of 52-53% in 2008. Although memory makers strive to migrate NAND flash applications to higher density under sales and profitability concerns, that makes no difference for controller makers, Kou said. For a controller IC design house, he stressed that memory density has no relationship on controller sales, given that any NAND flash application (such as USB drive or memory card) only requires one controller, regardless of memory density.
In light of global economic trends, Kou said demand for low-density NAND flash products should be better, partially due to sales spurred by the bundling of memory cards with handsets. Demand for microSD cards will continue to expand in 2008, Kuo said. Out of the 96.3 million units of controllers shipped in the fourth quarter, 89.3 million were for memory cards and USB drives, he detailed.
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