Samsung starts mass production of thumbnail-sized MMCmicro memory cards

Samsung started mass-production of a new type of ultra-small memory for mobile phones named MMCmicro. The device can read data at 10MBps (1.25MB/s) and write at 7MBps (875KB/s) which is three times faster than current flash memory cards.

Another major advantage of MMCmicro is its small size. It's as small as a thumbnail as it measures only 12mm x 14mm x 1.1mm.

MMCmicro can operate on either 1.8 volts or 3.3 volts and can write, read and be erased more than a hundred thousand times. It will become available in 32MB, 64MB, 128MB and 256MB versions. A 512MB version will be launched within three months and a 2GB card is planned for the first half of next year.

The high-capacity, low-power MMCmicro line represents the next-generation in flash memory cards, and Samsung officials expect many of the world's leading mobile phone makers to adopt the format. The cards are already available with Samsung's latest mobile phones, including its five-megapixel and seven-megapixel camera phones.