Cell Phone Memory Industry Report 2009

512Mb is a threshold in NOR flash memory, and theNAND flash memory capacity becomes larger and
cost increases rapidly if it is higher than 350Mb. Inlarger, reaching 32 Gb at most, and promoted by
addition, NOR flash memory has applied for limitedeMMC, the smart phone NAND capacity is 1Gb at
fields and fewer clients. However, NAND flashleast.
memory has more and more cost advantages asPresently, all smart phones are provided with
capacity grows larger, and it has widely applied forNAND+RAM memory, and around 60% of high-end
more clients. Currently, the cell phone marketcell phones have used NAND+RAM memory as well.
changes rapidly, and the life cycle of a cell phone isIn general, the medium and low-end cell phones adopt
usually less than five years, so NOR’s mostNOR+RAM memory, and most of ultra-low-end cell
outstanding advantage, long life, becomesphones use NOR memory.
meaningless as well. Although NOR flash memory costExcept Apple, Sony Ericsson and Nokia, all smart
will decline sharply after the entry of 65nm, Spansionphone manufacturers all adopt Samsung’s
is the sole which engages in NOR field. While in NAND,high-capacity memory. Toshiba has covered a high
the powerful companies such as Samsung, Toshiba,share in medium-end market, and Nokia’s support
Hynix, Micron and Intel all have gathered, and a largefor eMMC has made Toshiba have larger
number of researchers will be involved once NANDdevelopment space. The main clients of Numonyx are
has met any problems. Spansion, once No.1 in cellSony Ericsson, unlicensed cell phone manufacturers in
phone memory, has retreated from such field.China, Apple and manufacturers from Japan. Without
NAND will replace NOR flash memory if it is highersupport of RAM, Numonyx NAND+RAM memory has
than 350Mb. The majority of manufacturers believeddeveloped slowly. Spansion is adept in NOR, but
that it was not necessary that cell phones are withserious lack of technologies for NAND and RAM.
large-capacity NAND memory since they can rely onBeing the new comers, Micron and Hynix both have
external memory card to achieve it. However, whenshown powerful strength in NAND+RAM field, and
cell phones with built-in large-capacity NAND memorythey are capable of seizing market share from
launched by a small number of manufacturers haveSamsung. Hynix has become Motorola’s supplier,
become popular, and others all have successivelyand LG is also with great possibility to become
entered such field. Now, most of cell phone built-inanother customer.