NAND memory - Market forecast
In 2002, when Samsung foretold the dramatic shift in storage mediums, market forecasts for NAND predicted a mere US$1.7Billion in revenues this year, while global NAND flash memory revenues are actually expected to reach US$9.4billion this year, more than a five-fold increase. Over the past four years, NAND flash market has witnessed a compounded growth rate of 70 percent annually. This year, it appears clear that NAND will surpass NOR as the most popular flash memory.
Samsung NAND flash - Replacement
"NAND flash will eventually replace other storage mediums, especially those used in mobile products, creating a "Flash Rush," as NAND continues to register an unprecedented surge in demand as the backbone of the mobile electronics era," Dr. Hwang added. When Samsung introduced the "New Memory Growth Model" at an ISSCC conference in 2002, NAND was predicted to show double density growth annually. Indeed, the predictable rapid evolution of NAND flash density from 256 Megabits (Mb) in 1999 to 8Gb in 2004, is playing a major role in its becoming the new primary storage medium for portable digital products.
Samsung's 16Gb NAND flash memory
Samsung's 16Gb NAND flash memory, revealed today in a separate announcement, will further spur the proliferation of NAND as the dominant storage medium in portable digital applications from DSCs, USB drives, MP3 players, DVCs, PMPs and mobile handsets to tablet PCs, sub-notebooks and even some notebooks where NAND is beginning to compete aggressively with mini HDDs. (hard disk drives).
About Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2004 parent company sales of US$55.2 billion and net income of US$10.3 billion. Employing approximately 113,000 people in over 90 offices in 48 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing brands, Samsung Electronics is the world's largest producer of color monitors, color TVs, memory chips and TFT-LCDs.
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