Intel and Micron, who have partnered up for NAND flash production today announced that they have developed 32Gb (4GB) NAND flash chip using the new 34nm process technology. Along with smaller process technology the two companies will be using larger 300mm wafers to produce larger batches of the new NAND chips. The new manufacturing technology will make chips small enough that it will allow eight chips in a single layer for 32GB storage and a two-layer configuration can have capacity of 64GB.
Intel will target the new chips at handheld electronics, cellphones, and solid-state drives. Intel is planning to start mass production of the new chips in first quarter of 2009 around the same time when Toshiba will release their 32GB NAND chip. Toshiba’s 32GB chip will be based on 43nm process technology and hence it will require two-layer configuration to reach 32GB, making them bigger than Intel 32GB chip. Products like iPhone where space constrains have stopped Apple from updating device storage from 16GB to 32GB will benefit from the new Intel’s new 34nm NAND chip.
[Via Macnn]