SD Association (SDA) today announced the latest evolution of SD Express memory cards doubling microSD Express memory card speed up to 2 GB/s, plus four new SD Express Speed Classes to ensure guaranteed minimum sequential performance levels in the new SD 9.1 specification including support of Multi-stream access and related Power and Thermal Management assuring the guaranteed performance. SD 9.1 helps consumers identify the right card for their device while giving manufacturers new tools to assure minimum level of performance of SD Express memory cards and have means to guide consumers what type of cards will assure specific application operations.

The latest generation of microSD Express uses the PCIe interface delivering a 1,969 megabytes per second (MB/s), nearly 2 gigabytes per second (GB/s) speeds by using the PCIe Gen 4 x1 lane as defined in the latest update to the microSD Addendum version 8 specification. microSD Express was introduced with 985 MB/s speed maximum data transfer rate and the NVMe upper layer protocol in the SD 7.1 specification. The increase in speed gives product designers more storage options and SSD level performance for a variety of size constrained devices requiring easily repairable or upgradeable storage.

Kioxia Corporation, a world leader in memory solutions, today announced the industry's first 2 terabyte (TB) microSDXC memory card working prototypes. Using its innovative BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory and an in-house designed controller, basic functions of the KIOXIA 2 TB microSDXC UHS-I memory card working prototypes were confirmed in the microSDXC standard's maximum density.

As the data recording capacity of smartphones, action cameras, and portable game consoles continues to increase, the need for ultra-high capacity SD memory cards to store all of this data has never been higher. The SD Association's SDXC specification has supported memory cards up to 2 TB for more than a decade—but 2 TB cards have not been successfully manufactured until now.

SD Association (SDA) today announced three advanced security features in the new SD 9 specification: Boot support, Trusted Computing Group (TCG) Storage and Replay Protected Memory Block (RPMB) authenticated memory. SD 9 gives device manufacturers the ability to use an SD memory card for all memory and storage needs, simplifying future device upgrades or repairs and enhancing security capabilities for applications when the cards are tightly bound to specific hosts. SD 9 defines Fast Boot and Secure Boot capabilities giving cards the ability to serve as a device's boot code memory while offering a simple fast boot code uploading process along with secured methods of providing future boot code updates. SD 9 adds TCG secured storage by adding self-encrypted drive functionality. The specification defines RPMB as a secured hidden memory accessible only through a secured authentication process, while also providing a secured boot code update process, plus write-protect and replay protection security mechanisms.

Devices ideally suited for the new capabilities defined by SD 9 include Chromebook computers, tablets, drones, surveillance cameras, dash cameras, gaming consoles, virtual reality (VR) headsets/glasses, small IoT modules and wearable medical devices, to name a few. SD 9 also helps product manufacturers meet new right to repair regulations and simplifies upgrade and repair processes for devices installed in locations without internet connectivity. "SD memory cards are a compelling choice for both storage and memory because they will boot devices, are capable of delivering SSD performance levels and simplify device repairs or upgrades," said Hiroyuki Sakamoto, SDA president. "The SD 9 specification gives product manufacturers a compelling array of choices when defining memory and storage needs of devices." The optional features defined in SD 9 are available to both microSD and full-sized SD memory card form factors. The features are applicable across all capacity types, from SD to the forthcoming SDUC memory cards. Importantly, these features will be supported by SD Express, capable of delivering SSD performance levels up to 4 GB/sec. The SDA has prepared a whitepaper providing more details about the compelling new features defined by SD 9 for SD memory cards.

ADATA Technology, a manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, mobile accessories, gaming products, electric power trains, and industrial solutions today announced that its Premier Extreme SDXC SD7.0 Express Card, equipped with an SMI SM2708AB controller, is the world's first branded SD Express Card to pass SD Association's SD Express Verification Program (SVP). This verification status affirms that the SD Express Card meets SDA's rigorous interface standards for performance and reliability. The Premier Extreme SDXC Express Card will allow users to take full advantage of the latest SD Express-enabled laptops from all the major PC brands.

"Due to their compact form factors, SD cards have been and continue to be a mainstay of creators, creative professionals, and general users despite their lesser capabilities when compared to other storage devices," said Ibsen Chen, Director of Product Marketing at ADATA. "However, with the SVP verified ADATA Premier Extreme SDXC SD7.0 Express Card, we are giving users an SD Card that meets the standards of a modern world where high-quality content and fast data transfer rates are the norms."

Phison Electronics Corp., a global leader in NAND flash controller integrated circuits and storage solutions, today announced that its SD Express storage solution is the first product to pass the SD Association's SD Express/UHS-II Verification Program (SVP). This verification indicates that these products meet interface standards, providing confidence to both consumers and businesses that it will operate and perform properly.

According to the SD Association, "PCIe and UHS-II are both high differential interfaces and meeting their specifications demanding requirements is extremely important to assure proper operation and interoperability." The Association officially launched the SVP program at the end of 2021, becoming the notary unit that leads the compatibility verification between the host system and the SD memory card manufacturer to positively assist in the development of the product ecosystem. As the world's leading supplier of SD card controllers and solutions, Phison Electronics has pledged to support the SD Association's SVP program and to work with Phison's global brand customers in launching the latest SD Express storage solutions that meet the SVP verification requirements.

ADATA Technology, a manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, mobile accessories, gaming products, electric power trains, and industrial solutions, plans to release next-generation SD Express cards by Q2 of 2021.

With the rise of social media influencers, user-generated content, and the deployment of 5G networks worldwide, content creators and others seek high-capacity, high-performance, and portable memory products to meet their needs. To this end, the SD Association (SDA) released SD7.0, which introduced two major new functions, which include the incorporation of the PCIe and NVMe interfaces into SD memory cards for a significant upgrade in read/write speeds. These new SD cards will be known as SD Express cards. ADATA will be launching a new SD Express memory card by Q2 of 2021.

The SD Association announced today the SD 8.0 Specification for SD Express memory cards receives even faster transfer speeds by using the popular PCI Express (PCIe ) 4.0 specification delivering a maximum of nearly 4 gigabytes per second (GB/s) data transfer rate. These full sized cards continue to use the NVMe Express (NVMe ) upper layer protocol enabling advanced memory access mechanism. As always SD Express memory cards using SD 8.0 specification maintain backward compatibility.

"SD Express' use of even faster PCIe and NVMe architectures to deliver faster transfer speeds creates more opportunities for devices to use SD memory cards," said Mats Larsson, Senior Market Analyst at Futuresource. "This combination of trusted and well-known technologies makes it easier for future product designs to leverage the benefits of removable storage in new ways."

The SD Association announced today microSD Express, offering the popular PCI Express and NVMe interfaces alongside the legacy microSD interface for backwards compatibility. Like SD Express, microSD Express uses the PCIe interface delivering a 985 megabytes per second (MB/s) maximum data transfer rate and the NVMe upper layer protocol enables advanced memory access mechanism, enabling a new world of opportunities for mobile devices.

microSD Express cards defined in the SD 7.1 specification will be offered in a variety of capacities such as microSDHC Express, microSDXC Express and microSDUC Express. "microSD Express gives the mobile industry a compelling new choice to equip mobile devices with removable SSDs," said Hiroyuki Sakamoto, SDA president. "SD 7.1 prepares consumers and mobile device manufacturers to meet ever increasing storage demands for years to come."