Samsung Ships 32GB moviNAND Embedded Memory Card

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announced shipment of its 32-Gigabyte (GB) moviNAND, the highest density embedded memory card utilizing advanced 30-nanometer (nm) class process technology. Use of high-density embedded memory improves the performance of high-end phones and other mobile consumer electronics when processing and storing large amounts of multimedia content such as videos,
video games and TV broadcasts.

What is moviNAND?

moviNAND = High-density MLC NAND Flash & MMC controller

The 32GB moviNAND is the first embedded memory card to use 32 Gigabit (Gb) NAND devices produced with 30nm-class process technology. The new Samsung card doubles the density of the previous generation of moviNAND that is now being produced with 16Gb 40nm-class NAND chips.

“The unquenchable consumer thirst for possessing large amounts of data is now embracing video in a big way, which in turn means rapidly escalating demand for higher density storage,” said Jim Elliott, vice president, memory marketing, Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. “Samsung has taken the lead in providing OEMs with the highest density flash storage produced using the most cost-efficient process technology around – 30 nanometers.”

Each 32GB moviNAND device incorporates eight Samsung 30nm-class 32Gb NAND chips, a multimedia card (MMC) controller and firmware.

Samsung’s 30nm-class moviNAND is also available in 16GB, 8GB and 4GB densities.

Samsung’s proprietary moviNAND observes the embedded MMC (eMMC) standard, and uses a high-speed interface that was jointly developed by JEDEC and MMCA (MultiMediaCard Association). The most recent specification (eMMC v4.3) includes a power-on boot feature that shortens boot-up time and a sleep command to reduce power consumption.

The industry shipment forecast for high-density memory cards is constantly on the rise. According to research firm iSuppli, the shipment outlook for NAND flash used in 32GB and higher memory cards is expected to grow eight-fold from 120 million 16Gb equivalent units, which will account for 13 percent of global memory card shipments in 2009, to 950 million units – or 72 percent of the total cards shipped – by 2013.