Uncomfortable Partnership

Toshiba has developed the world’s first 96-layer 3D NAND flash memory with Western Digital (WD), but the former filed a damage suit against the latter on the day of announcement of the development.
Toshiba has developed the world’s first 96-layer 3D NAND flash memory with Western Digital (WD), but the former filed a damage suit against the latter on the day of announcement of the development.

 

Toshiba announced on June 28 that it developed the world’s first 96-layer 3D NAND flash memory with Western Digital (WD). On the same day, Toshiba filed a damage suit against WD, claiming that WD hindered the sale of its semiconductor business unit and should pay 1.2 trillion won for it.

WD and Toshiba developed the BiCS4 via their joint venture. It takes the form of 256 Gb chips for the time being, but its capacity is planned to be expanded to over 1 Tb down the road. WD is planning to use the new technology for solid state drives, smartphones, memory cards, etc.

“The storage capacity of BiCS4 is approximately 140% of that of a 64-layer flash memory,” Toshiba explained, adding, “It will reduce the price per bit while enhancing silicon wafer productivity.”

Toshiba is going to initiate sampling for OEM customers in the second half of this year and initial production in 2018. Its Yokkaichi Fab, which is scheduled to be put into operation in summer 2018 based on co-investment by the two companies, is likely to produce the products.

In the meantime, the announcement hinted some strife between the two over the sale of the memory business unit of Toshiba. The two companies released their announcements separately from each other. WD mentioned that it cooperated with Toshiba whereas Toshiba did not mention WD.

 

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