Toshiba to debut UFS Ver2.0 sol'ns for tablets, smartphones

Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc. has revealed that it is working with Qualcomm to bring Universal Flash Storage (UFS) Ver2.0 solutions to tablets and smartphones powered by Snapdragon 805 processors.

UFS, the next generation of embedded memory device to e-MMC, drives a significant boost in performance, a key requirement for tablets and smartphones. These applications require high performance to produce a best-in-class user experience such as for browsing and 4K video, at low power to extend battery life. With improved data processing speeds in host chipsets and wider bandwidths for wireless connectivity, demand continues to grow for large density, high-performance memory that supports high resolution video.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processors, which are designed to interface to Toshiba's UFS memory, will be aligned to the high end of their roadmap for tablets and smartphones, with e-MMC continuing to cover mid-range and low-end products in the near term. "High-end smartphones and tablets will be the first to adopt and take advantage of the performance benefits of UFS over e-MMC," noted Scott Nelson, SVP of TAEC's memory business unit. "As UFS migrates to mid-range products, the embedded mobile memory market will transition from e-MMC to UFS, though e-MMC will likely continue to support the low-end for some time."

Toshiba's UFS Ver2.0, which will be available for mass production 2Q14, is designed for a range of digital consumer products including smartphones and tablets.