Ready or not, here it comes, a brand new memory card format courtesy of the CompactFlash Association (CFA). Named XQD, the new card makes use of a PCI-Express interface (2.5 Gbps for starters, 5 Gbps in the future), features a durable casing that measures 38.5 x 29.8 x 3.8 mm (for comparison, a CompactFlash card is 43 × 36 × 5 mm while an SD card is 32 × 24 × 2.1 mm), and aims to deliver write speeds of 125 MB/s (and higher in future iterations).

"The XQD format will enable further evolution of hardware and imaging applications, and widen the memory card options available to CompactFlash users such as professional photographers," said Mr. Shigeto Kanda of Canon, chairman of the board, CFA. XQD memory cards are set to be showcased at CP+ 2012 (February 9-12) in Yokohama, Japan but it's still uncertain when we'll see them in stores. Licensing of this new format will begin in early 2012 so products supporting it should come later in the year.