SanDisk unveils 8GB microSD card, 4GB M2

SanDisk today claimed to be the first in the world to introduce an 8GB microSDHC card, doubling the capacity of removable storage on even the newest cellphones. The extra space matches the built-in storage on the iPhone, SanDisk says, and is good for roughly 2,000 songs or five hours of MPEG-4 video at full VGA. This card and a smaller 6GB version are also rated as Class 4 SD devices that can write at a minimum 4MB per second to ensure they work well for video capture or other high-stress tasks.

Pricing and a time window for the 6GB and 8GB cards haven't been determined, though the company hopes to release the new storage later this year; using the card requires any device with a microSDHC slot, including cellphones such as the Nokia N95 and Palm's Treo 680.

In a separate announcement, SanDisk today also revealed that it has begun shipping its first 4GB Memory Stick Micro (also known as M2) card to stores. The flash storage is meant for Sony-Ericsson phones but also fits into any device with a Memory Stick Pro Duo slot, such as the PSP or Sony's entire Cyber-shot camera range. The 4GB card should be ready this summer for $100.