Freescale Unveils New Memory Chip

Updated from 8:13 a.m. EDT

Freescale Semiconductor(FSL Quote) began selling a new generation of memory chips Monday, becoming the first company to commercialize a technology that has until now been confined to the R&D labs of various firms.

The Austin, Texas, company is producing a 4-megabit MRAM chip in volume quantities, culminating more than 10 years of its own development work. According to Freescale, the chip offers a combination of features and performance previously available only in separate memory technologies.

Freescale's initial crop of MRAM chips will have a relatively low storage capacity and cater to a niche market. But by commercializing MRAM technology, Freescale hopes to position itself to tap into much larger and lucrative markets. ...