Samsung debuts 3bit, 20nm 64GB NAND flash storage
updated 02:00 am EDT, Wed October 13, 2010
For use in future SD cards, SSDs, iOS devices?
Samsung is now producing three-bit-cell, 20-nanometer NAND flash storage in 64GB capacity, accelerating the pace of storage development by entering full production with 20nm devices with 64GB capacity, after starting 32GB 20nm production just this past April. Apple uses Samsung flash storage extensively in their iOS devices, leading to speculation that future upgrades and other iOS devices could have greater storage capacity while keeping costs stable.
This development doubles the capacity of 32GB 3bit flash storage while increasing productivity by 60 percent over 30nm, 32GB devices Samsung introduced only a year ago. The new NAND flash uses 8GB per chip (compared to the previous 4GB) and Toggle DDR, a technology that offers greater speed to flash RAM devices. Samsung produces about 40 percent of the world's NAND flash storage, with Apple buying huge quantities to feed their expanding iOS empire.
The flash chips will also be in great demand for SSD hard drives and SD camera and video cards as well as smartphones. The revamped AppleTV, iPod Touch and iPad all use Samsung flash storage.
