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Samsung To Mass-Produce 1-Gigabit NAND Flash Memory Chips

Samsung Electronics Co said it has started to mass-produce one-gigabit NAND-type flash memory chips used to store audio and video data in mobile electronic devices. Samsung Electronics said it has opened two assembly lines in Giheung, south of Seoul, to meet a sharp rise in demand. The new chip raises storage capacity dramaticially. One gigabit chips can store up to two hours of high-quality audio data. "This means that Samsung Electronics' competitiveness in flash memory is growing rapidly although it started off behind Toshiba," said Kyobo Securities Co semiconductor analyst Kim Young-June. The global market for flash memory chips -- which can retain data even if power cuts off -- is expected to grow from $2 billion this year to $7 billion in 2004, analysts said.