Micron Unveils 64-Layer 3D NAND Products For Smartphones

Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) recently announced the availability of 64-layered, second generation 3D NAND storage solutions in three different capacities of 64GB, 128GB and 256GB.

These new storage solutions are meant for addressing the needs of new age smartphones. The requirement for efficient data storage is increasing pertaining to accelerated use of artificial intelligence (AI) related applications as well as multimedia sharing tools.

Per the press release, the storage capacity for smartphones is expected to grow to a terabyte by 2021. Additionally, citing predictions by Gartner (NYSE:IT) , Micron stated that “80 percent of all smartphones will have on-device AI capabilities, increasing the requirement to process and store more data locally”, by 2022.

Owing to these facts, storage products are anticipated to be much in demand, which will be beneficial for Micron’s revenue growth.

Notable Features

The newly launched storage products are based on the company’s “triple level cell (TLC) 3D NAND technology.” Per Micron, mobile optimized architecture of these products is capable of processing very high volume of data messages with minimal delay while consuming lesser power, thereby enriching user experience. It also doubles storage density and offers a 50% increase in speed compared with the previous version of the TLC 3D NAND product.

These storage products are based on “the industry’s smallest 32GB TLC 3D NAND die” that measures 59.341sqmm. Moreover, “the UFS 2.1 G3-2L interface specification” enables the product to “deliver up to 200 percent higher bandwidth versus e.MMC 5.1”. This feature accelerates the pace of accessing data.

Other Players in the Domain

Notably, in May 2017, Western Digital (NASDAQ:WDC) announced the launch of the industry’s first 64-Layer 3D NAND-based SSDs. The low power consumption feature and non-volatile capacious flash memory gained accelerated adoption. In June 2017, Micron’s NAND foundry partner, Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) launched SSD 545s, which was built on 64-layer 3D NAND flash memory.

In a recent announcement, Intel and Micron stated that the duo will complete development of the third-generation of 3D NAND technology, with a target of 2018-end to early 2019 delivery, beyond which the firms will work separately.

To Conclude

We believe the enhancement of the portfolio with the addition of this much in demand storage product will help it to compete better in an industry that includes the likes of Intel and Western Digital. The growing need for high data storage capacity in smartphones will drive demand for Micron’s storage solutions, thereby boosting its top line over the long run.

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