Ultra-Fast UFS 4.0 Storage Tech Already In Hands Of Select Smartphone Manufacturers, Announces Micron

Micron, one of the leading manufacturers of flash storage used in smartphones and other electronics, has announced that its UFS 4.0 storage tech is ready to be deployed.

UFS 4.0 tech promises blazing-fast read and write speeds. It will significantly improve data access on portable devices such as smartphones, and DSLR cameras. It will even allow smooth 4K video recording on CCTV cameras. Let's look at the storage solutions from Micron, which will be based on UFS 4.0 technology.

Micron UFS 4.0 Storage Chips Being Tested By Smartphone Manufacturers

Micron announced its UFS 4.0 "mobile storage solution". The company even boasted that it has already shipped qualification samples to "select global smartphone manufacturers and chipset vendors".

Based on UFS 4.0 tech, the new storage chips are intended primarily for flagship-grade smartphones. This is because Micron is reserving the technology for manufacturing flash storage in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB capacities only.

Micron's UFS 4.0 storage solutions are built on 232-layer TLC flash (triple-level cells, i.e. storing 3 bits per cell). According to the company, its six-plane NAND architecture enables higher random read throughput.

Compared to previous generation storage write bandwidth is 100 percent higher, and read bandwidth is 75 percent higher, Micron claims. Moreover, the new chips based on UFS 4.0 are 25 percent more power efficient and promise 10 percent lower write latency, the company boasted.

In terms of real-life numbers, Micron's UFS 4.0 storage offers can offer up to 4,300MBps Sequential Read speeds and up to 4,000MBps Sequential Write speeds.

When Will Smartphones With UFS 4.0 Storage Arrive?

Micron has currently sent out qualification samples to smartphone manufacturers. They will undergo testing for speed, reliability, shock and impact resistance, error rates, and other parameters that determine the quality of a storage solution.

Micron has confirmed that high-volume production will begin in the second half of this year. Hence, smartphones with UFS 4.0 chips may arrive in the first half of next year.

Incidentally, Samsung too has successfully manufactured UFS 4.0 flash storage. However, the company may reserve the first few batches for sleek and portable laptops and notebooks. The company may then offer these ultra-fast storage chips in its flagship smartphones.