Samsung mass-produces advanced, finer DRAM
Samsung Electronics’ 8-gigabit LPDDR4 mobile DRAM chips. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
By Kim Yoo-chul
Samsung Electronics has started mass-producing the industry’s first 8-gigabit, low power double data rate 4 (LPDDR4) mobile DRAM.
Samsung said Tuesday that it will produce the advanced memory chips, which will be used for mobile devices, using 20-nanometer processing technology.
It said the new DRAM is faster than chips for PCs and servers and consumes less energy.
The memory chips will be ideal for large-screen mobile devices of not only Samsung but also other smartphone makers including Apple.
"With smartphones requiring the capability to handle data at faster speeds and consuming less energy, the new DRAM will make mobile devices more powerful in terms of data storage and speed," company spokesman Kim Ki-hoon said.
Kim said the latest chip has double the data processing speed than its predecessor as low voltage swing terminated logic (LVSTL) technology was used in its development.
The DRAM uses 40 percent less power and this means it can support ultra high-definition (UHD) video recording and playback, alongside continuous shooting of high-resolution imagery.
Tuesday's announcement comes three month after the company started producing six-gigabit LPDDR3 mobile DRAMs using 20 nanometer technology in September.
"Samsung will expand its mobile DRAM chip lineup in sync with the schedules of product launches by our clients, making them suitable for next-generation mobile OS environments," said the spokesman.
The new Samsung chips will be used in the company’s new Galaxy S6 and corporate servers.
As Samsung is a key mobile DRAM supplier to Apple with its chief rival SK hynix, it's likely that the product will pave the way for the firm to improve profit in its semiconductor division.
"Samsung has normalized its once-frayed partnership with Apple. Apple will buy more Samsung mobile DRAMs for iPhones. Samsung's smartphone business is expected to see a sign of recovery in the fourth quarter, therefore its memory chip division is positioned to perform better," said Dongbu Securities analyst Yoo Eui-hyung.