eMMC memory shipments to climb 62% in 2011

Shipments this year of eMMC are projected to reach 333.7 million units, up from 206.0 million units in 2010. Approximately 23% of all handsets in 2011—equivalent to some 239.7 million units—will feature eMMC, with the percentage to rise to 37% in two years’ time. Other important eMMC segments will include tablets, e-book readers and portable navigation devices with global positioning systems (GPS). Shipments of eMMC will continue to rise in the next few years, climbing 42.3% to 474.9 million units in 2012, on their way to 779.1 million units by 2015. Handsets will account for the majority portion of the eMMC market, reaching 560.1 million units by 2015 for a 72% share. Tablets, the second largest application market, will see eMMC shipments to the segment soar from 18 million units million within four years. “The evolution of eMMC has been rapid, with nearly annual enhancements to performance,” said Michael Yang, principal analyst for memory and storage at IHS. “As an economical choice for greater flash-memory densities, eMMC has become viable in high-end markets like smartphones and tablets, in which high-density storage capacity is required along with low-power consumption and a small footprint.” As NAND technology vectors into more segment-specific solutions, eMMC is poised to gain increasing momentum, IHS believes. It brings compatibility across multiple suppliers, long-term support and acceptable cost parameters. Moreover, the product’s enhanced reliability and performance will serve to recommend its continued application in future high-end devices, assuring reliable growth of the eMMC market for the next few years.