SanDisk will start shipping 8 GB Memory Stick Micro flash memory cards for testing and evaluation purposes. Sony Ericsson handsets will be the first to benefit from this increased memory and, thus, manage to offer more evolved data storage solutions to their users.

The 8GB data storage on mobile devices seems to be a limit that many producers are trying to line up to. The first handset to pack such an internal memory has been Apple's iPhone. Other devices with less generous default storage space will also be able to benefit from this huge amount of space that this device is capable of providing by default.

"With the addition of an 8GB SanDisk M2 card, consumers will instantly have the same amount of storage as the largest capacity iPhone", observes Jeff Kost, senior vice president and general manager of the Mobile Consumer Solutions division at SanDisk. Not only that, but this type of products brings a great number of advantages to mobile phone users.

Memory stick cards also add some advantages when compared to built-in memory. They bring much more freedom, as the user can remove it from one device and quickly get all his personal information on another one by simply introducing the card in it. "Removable cards make it easy to share content you create with friends, 'sideload' content and files from a computer and have virtually unlimited storage by simply purchasing more cards. SanDisk is enabling people to get more out of their phones than ever before", Jeff Kost further added.

The new card will allow consumers to store more than 2,000 digital songs, at least 5,000 high-resolution pictures, or up to 5 hours of high-quality MPEG4 videos. SanDisk will start shipping these products to phone manufacturers and mobile network operators from the fourth quarter of this year. The price that it will come at has not been revealed yet.