Flash Seeks Four-Bit Harmony

And though M-Systems has flagged video storage and hard drives as two key markets that will convert to flash memory, thanks to the benefits of 4-bit technology, it's unclear how suitable x4 really is for such applications.

True, streaming video requires the deep storage capacity provided by 4-bit flash. But video also requires fast performance, something which naturally suffers as flash memory retains more bits of data on each cell.

Because M-Systems has been tight-lipped about the specifications of its controller, which plays a key role in determining flash memory speed, no one really knows how x4 will perform.

"We know performance is going to take a hit, but how much?" says Gartner's Unsworth.

M-Systems counters that x4's performance will be above the minimum requirements for video and hard drives, and that it can tailor its technology to perform optimally for different applications.

In any case, even with poor performance, 4-bit flash could still provide a cheap way to cram capacity into mass-market products such as USB thumb drives.

Revolutionary innovations are great, but there's always a market for old-fashioned evolution.