New Toshiba drive may feature in iPod classic

Toshiba today announced two new models in its 1.8-inch HDD line destined for portable media players and ultraportable PCs. The 160GB MK1626GCB matches the Samsung SpinPoint N2 for the highest density in a microdrive and stores its information across just two platters 0.3 inches thick. It also becomes Toshiba's first to run on the new Consumer Electronics ATA (CE-ATA) interface and should be optimized for the disk performance and battery use of handhelds. In practice, the 160GB disk consumes a third less power than the 100GB disk it replaces, the company touts. Data outputs as quickly as 52MB per second.

Smaller devices can use the 80GB MK8022GAA, Toshiba says. Storing its information on a single platter, the drive is just 5mm high and a better fit for the smallest media players. Parallel ATA is used instead of CE-ATA to transfer data and increases power consumption, but provides a considerably faster 66MB per second transfer rate, according to early tests. Both drives spin at 3,600RPM and will be sent directly to electronics makers in time for devices shipping during the holidays.

The news comes just as Apple has announced the iPod classic, its sixth generation of the iPod line which uses 80GB and 160GB hard disks similar to those announced today by Toshiba. Current investigations suggest that other drive manufacturers producing 1.8-inch drives aren't offering similar capacities in the same sizes, pointing to Toshiba as the primary supplier for the lone hard disk-based Apple player.