SanDisk and Sony jointly announced today the formation of an all-new Memory Stick format, tentatively dubbed “Memory Stick format for Extended High Capacity.” Impressively, the new-found technology will allow for the creation of flash-based media with up to 2TB of storage capacity.

Also announced was the “Memory Stick HG Micro,” a successor to the M2 Micro series of Memory Sticks. Featuring an 8-bit parallel interface and increased clock frequency, HG Micro sticks will boast a theoretical transfer speed of 60MB/s.

No release date was provided for general retail availability, however, format licensing will open to interested parties later this year.

SanDisk and Sony to Expand “Memory Stick PRO” and “Memory Stick Micro” Formats

Achieving 2-Terabyte Maximum Storage Capacity and 60MB/s Interface Speed, Respectively

2009 International CES
South Hall, Booth # 30659

LAS VEGAS–SanDisk Corporation and Sony Corporation today announced the joint development of two expanded formats that will shape the flash memory landscape for years to come. “Memory Stick format for Extended High Capacity (Tentative name)” expands the “Memory Stick PRO” format series to achieve a maximum storage capacity of 2-terabytes (TB)1, while the “Memory Stick HG Micro” format enables a maximum data-transfer speed of 60 megabytes per second (MB/s)2, making it one of the fastest-smallest memory card formats to date. Format licensing corresponding to the “Memory Stick format for Extended High Capacity” and the “Memory Stick HG Micro” is scheduled to start in 2009.
Memory Stick PRO format series

Memory Stick format series for extended high

capacity

Memory Stick PRO

Expanded format for Memory Stick PRO
Memory Stick PRO HG

Expanded format for Memory Stick PRO-HG
Memory Stick Micro (M2)

Expanded format for Memory Stick Micro

Memory Stick HG Micro

Expanded format for Memory Stick HG Micro

*Underlined are the expanded formats that we announced today.

“Memory Stick Format Series for Extended High Capacity”

The demand for high-capacity memory cards capable of storing high-resolution pictures and videos is increasing as the image quality of high-definition digital still cameras, DSLR cameras, and camcorders continues to evolve. The new “Memory Stick Format for Extended High Capacity” format hopes to meet this demand by enabling the recording of up to 2TB of data, which is 60 times more storage capacity than the “Memory Stick PRO” format’s 32-gigabyte (GB)3 capacity limit.

By this format expansion, “Memory Stick PRO Format for Extended High Capacity” shatters the terabyte mark for data storage, opening the door for wider applications. This new format is scheduled to continue to support the “MagicGate” copyright protection technology as well as the “Access Control Function”4.

“Memory Stick HG Micro”

In addition, SanDisk and Sony today announced the joint development of “Memory Stick HG Micro”, a format expanded from “Memory Stick Micro” (M2). This new format adopts an enhanced 8-bit parallel interface and features an increased interface clock frequency of 60 mega hertz (MHz), enabling 60MB/s (480 Mbps in theoretical value) maximum data transfer speed. This is three times faster than the conventional serial 4-bit parallel interface and 40MHz interface clock frequency adopted in the “Memory Stick Micro”, offering data-transfer speeds of the “Memory Stick PRO-HG” on a micro-size memory card.

Since the September 1998 market introduction of the “Memory Stick” format, cumulative shipments of media is estimated to surpass 500 million units5 in 2009. SanDisk and Sony will continue to work toward enhanced usability of the “Memory Stick” format to respond to the market needs for larger and faster memory cards.

“SanDisk and Sony share a long collaborative history of developing products and technologies that enhance user experience and provide direct benefit to consumers,” said Yoram Cedar, executive vice president, OEM and corporate engineering, SanDisk. “Both companies have enjoyed great successes with the Memory Stick PRO format in the past, and we are sure that the expansion of these formats to improve capacity and performance will be quite compelling. This technology provides a framework for us to develop products that will significantly impact mobile and consumer electronics markets.”

Hidenosuke Kanai, President of Electronic Devices Business Group of Sony Corporation, said, “Sony has successfully collaborated with SanDisk Corporation in developing and promoting the “Memory Stick” formats such as the “Memory Stick PRO” format in 2003, the “Memory Stick Micro” format for mobile products in 2005 and “Memory Stick PRO-HG” format in 2006. Today, we are happy to announce the latest result of the joint development on the “Memory Stick” format to offer a memory card with unprecedented high capacity. Through the introduction of these new formats, Sony hopes that the “Memory Stick” will open up new possibilities and greatly expand its applications of flash memory cards.”

Memory Stick PRO

Format series

Memory Stick format series

for extended high capacity

Duo size Memory Stick PRO

Expanded format for

Memory Stick PRO
Capacity up to 32GB greater than 32GB, up to 2TB
Dimension

31x20x1.6mm
Connecter pin 10 pins
I/F 4bit parallel, serial
I/F data transfer rate Max. 20MB/s (4bit parallel transfer)
Memory Stick PRO-HG

Expanded format for

Memory Stick PRO-HG
Capacity up to 32GB greater than 32GB, up to 2TB
Dimension 31x20x1.6mm
Connecter pin 14 pins
I/F 8bit parallel, 4bit parallel, serial
I/F data transfer rate

Max. 60MB/s (8bit parallel transfer)
Max. 20MB/s (4bit parallel transfer)
Micro size Memory Stick Micro

Expanded format for

Memory Stick Micro
Capacity up to 32GB greater than 32GB, up to 2TB
Dimension 14×12.5×1.2mm
Connecter pin 11 pins
I/F 4bit parallel, serial
I/F data transfer rate Max. 20MB/s (4bit parallel transfer)
Memory Stick HG Micro

Expanded format for

Memory Stick HG Micro
Capacity up to 32GB greater than 32GB, up to 2TB
Dimension 14×12.5×1.2mm
Connecter pin 20 pins
I/F 8bit parallel, 4bit parallel, serial
I/F data transfer rate

Max. 60MB/s (8bit parallel transfer)
Max. 20MB/s (4bit parallel transfer)

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