Hynix Semiconductor and Micron Technology are two memory makers that have extended their presence beyond NAND flash chip production.

Hynix have started shipping NAND flash in finished card form from May. The Korean chipmaker currently only partners with leading handset makers in bundling its memory cards and is not yet selling its memory cards under its own brand to channels, the sources noted.

Micron, is expected to start shipping its memory cards in the second half of 2008. The company is expected to adopt a similar strategy as Hynix, with initial targeted customers being handset vendors.

Samsung Electronics and Toshiba are two NAND flash makers who first extended their presence from NAND flash chips to memory card production, with many memory module makers having expressed concern about the potential threat to their own businesses.

It is believed that NAND flash makers will gradually enter the memory card market by shipping their cards to handset vendors for bundled sales or by shipping their cards to memory module makers. Despite more NAND flash makers extending beyond NAND flash production, industry players commented that it will take time to observe the actual impact, given that Samsung and Intel, who have both introduced memory card production, have not make a sound presence.

By: DocMemory
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