SK hynix Develops World’s Fastest Mobile Memory Chip

Seoul, South Korea – SK hynix Inc. has announced a significant technological advancement with the development of a UFS 4.1 solution product for mobile devices. This new memory chip is based on the company’s cutting-edge 321-layer 1Tb triple level cell 4D NAND flash, representing the world’s highest layer count for mobile applications.

The development comes as the demand for high-performance, low-power memory solutions increases to support the stable operation of on-device Artificial Intelligence (AI) features in smartphones. SK hynix anticipates that this UFS 4.1 product, optimized for AI workloads, will strengthen its position in the flagship smartphone market.

With on-device AI becoming more prevalent, there’s a growing need to balance a device’s processing power with its battery life. The mobile market is also increasingly prioritizing thinner designs. SK hynix’s new product addresses these needs with key improvements over the previous generation (based on 238-layer NAND):

• Improved Power Efficiency: The new chip offers a 7% improvement in power efficiency.
• Slimmer Design: At 0.85mm thick, it’s thinner than the previous 1mm design, allowing for ultra-slim smartphones.
• Enhanced Performance:
  • Supports a data transfer speed of 4300MB/s, which is the fastest sequential read speed for a fourth-generation UFS.
  • Improves random read and write speeds—critical for multitasking—by 15% and 40%, respectively.

These performance boosts are expected to enhance user experience by providing quicker access to data needed for on-device AI and speeding up application running times and responsiveness.

SK hynix plans to get customer qualification for the new chip within the current year and begin shipping in volume starting in the first quarter of next year. The product will be available in two capacity options: 512GB and 1TB.

Ahn Hyun, President and Chief Development Officer at SK hynix, mentioned plans to complete the development of 321-layer 4D NAND-based SSDs for both consumers and data centers within the year. He stated that the company is focused on expanding its role as a “full-stack AI memory provider” in the NAND sector by building a product portfolio with an AI technological edge.

SK hynix Inc., headquartered in Korea, is a leading semiconductor supplier specializing in DRAM and NAND flash memory chips for a wide range of global customers. The company’s shares are traded on the Korea Exchange, and its Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

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