Samsung's New 128GB eMMC 5.0 Storage Targets The Lower End

As repeatedly mentioned before, with the push for higher displays and CPUs on smartphones slowing down just a wee bit, attention is now being given to the last part of the system to catch up: storage. We are entering a period of not just faster flash memory for mobile devices but also growing densities. Samsung is now trying to pull up even those on lower rungs of the device tier by bringing out the highest density 128 GB eMMC 5.0 storage squarely marketed for mid-range devices.

The "eMMC 5.0" in this particular 3-bit NAND storage might be a bit puzzling considering how Samsung has been hyping its new UFS 2.0-based memory which it put inside the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge. And indeed, the Korean OEM believes that UFS 2.0 is the future, with eMMC 5.1, which incorporates some of the advantages of UFS 2.0, would be a transitioning option.

However, those higher-end memory will naturally incur higher prices because of higher costs of production. In short, it might not be something that OEMs can afford to put in mid to low range devices. To give these smartphones and tablets a fighting chance, Samsung is making available a relatively more affordable NAND storage based on the older eMMC 5.0 that can definitely stand proud with its 128 GB capacity.

And it's not only size that Samsung boasts about. This 128 GB storage is claimed to actually perform as well as similar MLC (multi-level cell) NAND memory based on the newer eMMC 5.1 standard. Sequential read speeds, for example, measure 260 MB/s, while for random processes it maxes out at 6,000 and 5,000 IOPS (input/output operations per second) for read and write, respectively. This is all thanks to Samsung's manufacturing processes and its 3-bit per cell NAND technology.

Samsung pretty much has all device tiers covered with its storage solutions, from high-end ones with its UFS 2.0 and eMMC 5.1 options and now to lower tier ones with its high-capacity eMMC 5.0 offering. Hopefully this will start the push for a higher baseline on devices and we will stop seeing measly 16 GB configurations on flagships.

SOURCE: Samsung