Sony Memory Stick Micro for cell phones

Sony today announced that it will introduce the first Memory Stick Micro (‘M2’) products with storage capacities of 256MB, 512MB and 1GB later this year. The new ultra-small memory card is designed to meet the growing storage needs of highly compact, multifunctional mobile phones. An 'M2' adaptor in the size of a standard Memory Stick will allow users to exchange data to Memory Stick PRO compatible products.

The ‘M2’ media is approximately one-quarter the volume of ‘Memory Stick PRO Duo’ media, yet only about 1.2mm thick. ‘M2’ media is designed as an externally removable media with a controlled eject function to prevent users losing the media. Following the trend of mobile phones which operate at 1.8 volts, the ‘M2’ has been designed as dual-voltage media. In addition to 1.8 volt support, the media offers 3.3 volt operation which is required for existing ‘Memory Stick PRO’ compatible products.

Launched today, the Sony Ericsson M600i is the first mobile phone compatible with the ‘M2’. Users of the new, compact and stylish UMTS messaging phone can store various types of content to the ‘M2’ media, such as contacts and email attachments as well as multimedia files including music, pictures, video clips and documents. As the ‘M2’ is an external storage media, it allows users to exchange this content between the mobile phone and a PC with a Memory Stick PRO slot, using the ‘M2’ adaptor.

Sony plans to ship the 256MB and 512MB versions of the ‘M2’ media from March, and the 1GB model from May 2006. The estimated enduser price of the ‘M2’ media will be similar to the price of the current ‘Memory Stick PRO Duo’ media.