14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung has just announced a new hybrid memory device, one that combines the benefits of two distinct types: NAND Flash and Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM).
Samsung came up with a memory solution that is supposed to serve the entry-level and mainstream smartphone market segments.
Normally, DRAM and NAND Flash memory carry out very distinct roles within a consumer electronics device.
While the former behaves as a sort of area where information is temporarily placed and processed by a CPU, the NAND memory is where the files are permanently stored.
Samsung combined those two roles and built the eMCP memory, short for embedded multi-chip package.
The 4GB NAND part is based on the 20nm manufacturing process technology, while the 256MB, 512MB or 768MB of LPDDR2 DRAM is designed on the 30nm technology.
“As the need is growing for more advanced software and increased data storage in smartphones and tablets, mobile device makers are expected to introduce embedded memory solutions throughout 2012 that offer higher performance and density,” said Myungho Kim, vice president of memory marketing of device solutions at Samsung Electronics.
“Samsung will further accelerate growth in the mobile device market as it extends the advanced memory segment by providing a more expansive line-up of eMCP solutions in 2012.”
Samsung previously made eMCP chips with 32GB eMMC memory and 1GB of RAM, but those are meant for the high-end market.
Once low-end and mainstream smartphones begin to adopt the new solutions, they should start to exhibit a significantly higher performance.
For those who want numbers, the new eMCP will show a performance boost of around 30 percent, even as power consumption is lowered by 25 percent.
It falls to smartphone companies, both new and old, to contact Samsung and negotiate deals. In the meantime, more info can be found at the Samsung GreenMemory site (located here).