Apple to launch 4GB flash memory based iPod mini later this year?

Apple is planning to buy as much as 40 percent of Samsung's flash output in the second half of this year, according to market research firm iSuppli. This further indicates that Apple is going to debut new iPod mini players with 4GB flash memory instead of a hard drive.

In a report issued Friday (Aug. 19th), iSuppli memory analyst Nam Hyung Kim said sources told him that Samsung has offered Apple “extremely low prices on its Nand parts” in order to convince Apple to switch from HDD storage to NAND memory for the 4-GByte-density iPod.

Apple is also in talks with Hynix about sourcing NAND parts. The iSuppli reports concludes NAND flash buyers are well advised to forge stable supply relationships instead, rather than relying on the spot market. More details at EET.