By Gary Hilson, EETimes (July 21, 2022)
The embedded MultiMediaCard (eMMC) standard is no longer being updated. But that’s not keeping some vendors from innovating around the NAND flash storage device for use cases where it’s still the best option.
While Universal Flash Storage (UFS) was trumpeted as widely replacing eMMC when it debuted, it’s overkill for some applications. In an interview with EE Times, Eric Spanneut, vice president of flash global product management for Western Digital’s flash business unit, said eMMC works best for mid–range mobile devices and thin–and–light entry–level compute devices, as well as wide range of emerging applications. “eMMC is here to stay for a very long time,” he said.
With little fanfare, the company recently introduced its iNAND EM141 Embedded Flash Device, designed for applications that require high performance, reliable data storage, a small form factor, and efficient power consumption.