According to the data from Samsung, Toshiba, Western Digital,
Micron and SK Hynix, the 3D NAND in 64 and 72 layers is massively produced,
which drives the price of NAND Flash keeping going down in the first half year;
the main difficulty for all Flash factories is how to raise the production
ability and drive themselves more competitive. All factories has new
breakthroughs of 3D Flash technology in the second year of 2018, the new
generation of QLC and NAND Technology in 96 layers is going to launch, the
market competition has been heated up.
The fifth generation of V-NAND from Samsung has been in mass
production, it is 96 layers and supports Toggle DDR 4.0 port, the max transfer
speed can reach 1.4Gbps, it is raising 40% comparing to V-NAND in 64 layers;
the artwork of its design has been improved, the production ability has increased
30%, this technology will help Samsung launch 1Tb capacity and QLC V-NAND.
The 3D QLC NAND by single Die in 64 layers from Micron and Intel for 1Tb capacity has started production and delivery, and the one in 96 layers will start production in the second year of 2018. Micron adopts QLC NAND Technology for SSD (5210 ION), and has been shipping to their strategy partners; it is predicted that the supply will be enlarged in the autumn of this year. Intel takes OLC NAND to produce PCIe SSD for Data Market
Besides it, Micron and Intel cooperate to
develop the 2nd generation of 3D Xpoint, it will be presented in the
first half year of 2019. It is one kind of new Nonvolatile Memory, which is
lower delay and higher endurance comparing to NAND, it is definitely
competitive in the market. Currently Intel release SSD and memory products of
Optane brand, all of them are designed by 3D Xpoint for consumers and
companies. However, Micron will present QuantX by 3D Xpoint till 2019, and the
mass production may be proceeded in 2020.
The 2nd
generation of 3D QLC NAND (4bits/cell) by single Die in 96 layers from Toshiba
and Western Digital data can reach 1.33Tb. Comparing to the 3D QLC NAND issued
by Micron and Intel, the capacity from Toshiba and Western Digital will be
increased by 33%. Western Digital data predict that the mass production will
start in the second half year of 2018, and their first priority is to sell with
the consumed products from SanDisk brand. Toshiba will send SSD samples and
controllers to their clients in September, and the mass production will be
started in 2019.
With the breakthroughs on QLC and 3D NAND
technology in 96 layers from all factories, the production scale will be
enlarged in 2019, the supply of NAND Flash will be grew, the cost of every GB
for NAND Flash is going to drop step by step.