Exclusive Deal While supplies last, save 40% off over 40 iPhone 5 and iPhone 4/4S cases and chargers as well as Samsung S III cases at Kensington.com. Use coupon code 'SAVE40%' at checkout to receive this exclusive discount.      

Apple flash memory order pointing to 32GB phones?

updated 12:50 pm EDT, Mon April 13, 2009

 

32GB iPhones guaranteed?


Apple's recent order of 100 million NAND chips from Samsung included 16Gb memory, claims an analyst from Lazard Capital Markets. The order was initially thought to have only 8Gb chips, the equivalent of 1GB each in terms of storage. With more 16Gb (2GB) memory however, Apple should be in a position to release 32GB iPhones, a move widely anticipated for this summer.

The Lazard analyst, Daniel Amir, notes that while Apple could in theory stack the 16Gb chips in a fresh wave of 16GB iPhone 3Gs, the company has been pushing hard to clear out inventory with a series of promotions. These include carrier discounts, contract-free phones and early upgrades within contracts. The memory could also in theory be used in iMacs, but Amir observes that Samsung is Apple's main iPhone supplier. "Historically, Apple's orders with Samsung have been for iPhone flash, since Samsung has worked with Apple in developing special packaging for the iPhone," the analyst comments.

The order could have the secondary effect of increasing prices in the rest of the flash market, potentially by as much as 20 percent, says Amir. Apple frequently produces such industry ripples, due to the quantities of memory it needs to satisfy popularity; another price jump could be welcome for memory makers, given an overall trend of decline in prices combined with the temporary effects of recession.


By Electronista Staff

Post tools:

TAGS :  

iPhone, industry, NAND, Samsung, Apple
toggle

Previous Comments

  1. testudo

    Forum Regular

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -2

    so

    the iPhones/iPods use two flash chips to make up storage?


  1. Guest

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 1999

    +3

    @Testudo

    Um, try about eight or sixteen. GigaBITS are in lowercase, gigaBYTES in upper.


  1. Johnny Niles

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jun 2007

    +2

    Also

    The iPod Touch uses two chips, the iPhone uses one. That's why there's currently a 32GB iPod Touch and a 16GB iPhone.


  1. Wingsy

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 2005

    +1

    16 chips? No way

    Even stacking 16 of these 2 GB chips into a 32GB module ain't gonna happen in an iPhone. Too big. Way too big. I believe this memory is destined for something else. I don't know what, but it'll have to be a whole lot of somethings that will use just 1 or 2 (ok, maybe 4) of these 1GB and 2GB chips.


  1. lockhartt

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 2000

    +1

    what about...

    Flash for new Mac motherboards... Mac equivalent of ReadyBoost?

    Even 2GB chips are too small for any of Apple's handheld devices as far as I'm concerned.


  1. lockhartt

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 2000

    +1

    or even...

    The Apple TV... these chips could be useful there and it's overdue for an update and/or transition to Ion platform.

    I think I'd be more excited to see Snow Leopard supporting the pseudo-ReadyBoost feature, though.


  1. gor3don

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2005

    -3

    why so hostile

    to Testudo? Lighten up, people.


Login Here

Not a member of the MacNN forums? Register now for free.

 
close
Photo
toggle

Network Headlines

toggle

Most Popular

Sponsor

Recent Reviews

MaxUpgrades MaxConnect for 2006-2008 Mac Pro

Nobody outside of Cupertino's privileged bunch knows the future of the Mac Pro line for sure. Despite Apple's reluctance to tell us wh ...

Brother HL-3170CDW LED Printer

We've mentioned before that we are far from a paperless society. For now, at least, there are tasks that require a piece of paper for ...

HTC One

It is hard to overstate just how critically important the HTC One is to the Taiwanese company’s fortunes. Despite its alarming decline ...

Sponsor

 
toggle

Popular News