Samsung's foundry business seems to be busying itself with the rumored refinement of a 2 nm GAA (SF2) manufacturing node process—for possible mass production by the end of 2025, but company leadership will very likely be considering longer term goals. Mid-way through last month, industry moles posited that the megacorporation's semiconductor branch was questioning the future of a further out 1.4 nm (SF1.4) production line. Officially published roadmaps have this advanced technology rolling out by 2027. Despite present day "turmoil," insiders believe that a new team has been established—tasked with the creation of a so-called "dream semiconductor process." According to a fresh Sedaily news article, this fledgling department has started development of a 1 nm foundry process.

Anonymous sources claim that Samsung executives are keeping a watchful eye on a main competitor—as stated in the latest South Korean report: "there is a realistic gap with Taiwan's TSMC in technologies that are close to mass production, such as the 2 nm process, the company plans to speed up the development of the 1 nm process, a future technology, to create an opportunity for a turnaround." A portion of the alleged "1 nm development chip team" reportedly consists of veteran researchers from prior-gen projects. Semiconductor industry watchdogs theorize that a canceled SF1.4 line could be replaced by an even more advanced process. Sedaily outlined necessary hardware upgrades: "the 1.0 nanometer process requires a new technology concept that breaks the mold of existing designs as well as the introduction of next-generation equipment such as high-NA EUV exposure equipment. The company is targeting mass production after 2029." Samsung's current Advanced Technology Roadmap does not extend beyond 2027—inside sources claim that the decision to roll with 1.0 nm was made at some point last month.

Samsung Electronics and Google Cloud today announced an expanded partnership to bring Google Cloud's generative AI technology to Ballie, a new home AI companion robot from Samsung. Available to consumers this Summer, Ballie will be able to engage in natural, conversational interactions to help users manage home environments, including adjusting lighting, greeting people at the door, personalizing schedules, setting reminders and more.

"Through this partnership, Samsung and Google Cloud are redefining the role of AI in the home," said Yongjae Kim, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. "By pairing Gemini's powerful multimodal reasoning with Samsung's AI capabilities in Ballie, we're leveraging the power of open collaboration to unlock a new era of personalized AI companion—one that moves with users, anticipates their needs and interacts in more dynamic and meaningful ways than ever before."

So far, NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50xx graphics card models have shipped with Samsung GDDR7 memory modules onboard. According to a fresh MEGAsizeGPU (aka @Zed__Wang) claim, a change in vendor has already occurred. The tenured tracker of Team Green inside track information believes that the company has: "started to use SK hynix GDDR7 for the GeForce RTX 50 series graphics cards. Started with GeForce RTX 5070 first." Officially, NVIDIA's latest board designs can support GDDR7 modules produced by the "big three:" Samsung, SK hynix and Micron (see BIOS info below). Team Green's comfortable market leading position probably grants plenty of negotiation power to pick and choose the best component deals. Day one evaluators performed teardowns on GeForce RTX 50 series review samples; TechPowerUp's W1zzard found Samsung "K4VAF325ZC-SC32" GDDR7 units—rated for 32 Gbps—onboard various GeForce RTX 5080 16 GB models. As outlined by VideoCardz, the rest of NVIDIA's "Blackwell" gaming product stack sticks with 28 Gbps-rated Samsung GDDR7 modules, extending to its Mobile portfolio.

Earlier today, industry moles in South Korea have heard whispers about Samsung Electronics planning a new pricing strategy for NAND and DRAM product lines. According to an MK news articles, local sources believe that company leadership will: "raise memory chip prices—by 3-5% from the current level—for major global customers. It is reported that some customers have already begun contract negotiations that reflect the increase conditions." Regional watchdogs posit that the megacorporation is reacting to very current geopolitical tensions (i.e. tariffs). Earlier this week, a main rival—Micron—informed customers about forthcoming memory price increases. Naturally, the North American memory chip giant is not "fully" affected by recent seismic shifts. A "significant growth demand" has caused jacked up charges—effective across DRAM, NAND flash, and HBM portfolios—projected throughout 2025 and 2026.

Returning to South Korean shores and Samsung, one unnamed semiconductor insider opined to MK: "oversupply continued throughout last year, but supply has recently decreased as major companies have begun to reduce production...In addition, artificial intelligence (AI) devices are appearing one after another in China, and demand for semiconductors is gradually increasing due to industrial automation." DRAMeXchange—an appropriately named market research organization—has kept track relevant trends. As disclosed by the MK news piece—as of last month, general-purpose DRAM DDR4 prices: "remained flat for the fourth month in a row." Looking at conditions for DDR5 (used in high-performance PCs and enterprise equipment), prices soared by 12%. DRAMeXchange observed NAND costs rising by 9.6%: "continuing an upward trend for the third consecutive month."

Samsung Electronics America today announced its plans to strengthen its presence in the U.S. gaming industry with the upcoming release of its latest gaming monitor, Odyssey 3D. From March 24-28, Samsung hosted "eXperience 2025," an exclusive event for key North American customers at Fairmont Austin in Texas. This year, the event brought together nearly 600 major clients, including MicroCenter, Best Buy, Amazon and Walmart.

The event served as a platform for Samsung to unveil its newest gaming monitor lineups in front of customers, including its 2025 flagship products—Odyssey 3D (G90XF), Odyssey OLED G8 (G81SF) and Odyssey G9 (G91F) models.

According to a fresh Money Today SK news article, Samsung is expected to launch a next-generation Galaxy Ring model later this year—this tiny wearable device is touted to operate with a "dream battery" design. The South Korean giant's Electro-Mechanics division is reportedly tasked with the challenging development of "all-solid-state" batteries for all manner of ultraportable products. Yesterday's report suggests that Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Ring sequel—apparently scheduled for launch within Q4'25—will be driven by the Electro-Mechanics team's pioneering effort. The production of all-solid-state battery units is an expensive endeavor, so industry watchdogs have predicted tough retail conditions for the forthcoming "Galaxy Ring 2" rollout—the original unit was not exactly a "hot property" in terms of sales figures.

Money Today's inside sources reckon that the Electro-Mechanics branch will—eventually—fit all-solid-state battery designs inside new-gen earphones (aka Galaxy Buds) by Q4 2026, and very futuristic smartwatches by the end of 2027. Given cost considerations, larger all-solid-state solutions—potentially for usage in smartphones—are not in the pipeline. Around early February of this year, the development of Samsung's (inevitable) "Galaxy S26" mobile series was linked to alleged 6000+ mAh silicon-carbon battery units. The South Korean's smartphone engineering team is reportedly trying to play catch up with more advanced solutions, as devised by competitors in China. The status of Samsung's proprietary silicon-carbon prototype is the subject of much online debate, but certain insiders believe that employees are still working hard on the perfection of an ideal "battery formula."

Samsung Electronics today announced the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, offering new entry points to the Galaxy ecosystem on a premium tablet design. Equipped with the largest screen yet on the Galaxy Tab S FE series and slimmer bezels that expand its display, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ provides a fun, immersive viewing experience for everything from entertainment to studying and day-to-day tasks. Samsung's Intelligent Features empower users to get more done with ease, while a slimmer design helps users to achieve their creativity and productivity on the go.

"The new Galaxy Tab S10 FE series brings advanced mobile AI experience and Samsung's connected ecosystem to even more tablet users, while still offering leading performance and design," said Changtae Kim, EVP & Head of New Computing R&D Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. "We're confident that the slim bezels and expansive displays, in addition to a whole host of functional improvements, will inspire people to do more, create more, and discover more."

Over the past weekend Jukanlosreve declared via social media that Samsung's: "Exynos 2600 (mobile SoC) is definitely back, and it will be used in the Galaxy S26 series. But the chip volume is so limited that it'll likely be similar to the Exynos 990 situation. I'm not sure if SF2 is actually any good." Mid-way through March, the keen observer of semiconductor industry conditions posited that Samsung's Foundry business could abandon a 1.4 nm (SF1.4) process node. SF2 (aka 2 nm GAA) seems to be in a healthier place, according to insiders—thanks to rumored assistance from an external AI-specialist partner. The development of next-generation flagship Exynos smartphone processors are allegedly closely tied with Samsung Foundry's 2 nm GAA manufacturing process.

As alluded to by Jukanlosreve's recent prediction, the statuses of leaked 2 nm-based "Exynos 2600" and "Exynos 2500" chips were often questioned by industry watchdogs in the past. The latter is purportedly destined for rollout in forthcoming affordable "Galaxy Z Flip FE" models, albeit in mature 4 nm form. Vhsss_God—another source of inside track info—has weighed in on the topic of Samsung's next-gen chipset roadmap. Compared to Jukanlosreve's musings, their similarly-timed weekend projection seemed to be quite fanciful: "exclusive leak...Samsung doesn't want to use Exynos or Qualcomm Snapdragon chips anymore. S26 line is targeted to launch with the new Samsung developed chip (2 nm)—formerly referred to as Exynos 2600. (The company) will try its hardest to ditch Snapdragon on the entire Galaxy line next year." Perhaps there is too much of a negative stigma attached to Samsung's long-running chipset nomenclature, but the majority of foundry moles continue to label incoming designs as Exynos processors.

Amazon Luna, the online game streaming service, has officially announced that it will be expanding further into Europe, introducing availability in Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Sweden. The launch includes both the free-to-play games available via Amazon Prime Gaming and the standalone Luna+ subscription service. Along with that announcement, it was also revealed that Amazon Luna has entered into a multi-year partnership with EA to bring some of the game studio's AAA hits to Luna+ members. EA joins GOG, Ubisoft, and Jackbox Games as publishers and game studios whose games are now available on Luna.

Kicking off the EA partnership are Star Ward: Jedi Survivor, Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, and Dead Space. Unlike the Ubisoft and Jackbox games, which require an additional subscription tier to access, EA's games are available in the basic Luna+ subscription. Amazon says that more EA games will be coming to Luna soon, specifically mentioning the EA Sports portfolio, although it did not specify which games or say when they would be coming to the platform. With Luna's expansion into more European countries, Amazon is also increasing the availability of the Luna controller, which connects directly to the cloud game streaming servers for reduced latency. The Luna controller will now be available in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Sweden for €69.99 MSRP or 799.99 SEK, with introductory sales bringing prices down to €44.99 and 519.99 SEK, respectively. The Luna controller is not yet available in Portugal, but it will launch there later this year. Luna+ subscribers can play on a variety of devices, including Mac, Windows, iOS/iPadOS, Android, and ChromeOS devices (via Chrome or Safari web browsers), as well as Amazon Fire tablets and TVs and Samsung and LG TVs.

Samsung Display today announced plans to boost sales of its QD-OLED for monitors to popularize this cutting-edge, self-emitting display technology. The company expects shipments of QD-OLED for monitors to grow more than 50% this year compared to last year's shipments of 1.43 million units, and is ramping up its supply to meet high consumer demand.

According to the market research firm Omdia, OLED panel monitor shipments have experienced significant growth over the past few years: 8,300 units in 2021, 160,000 units in 2022, and 820,000 units in 2023, reflecting an almost 300% annual increase from 2021 to 2024. This data highlights a rapid shift from Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) to OLED technology, largely driven by the adoption of QD-OLED. Last year, Samsung Display held a commanding 71.2% share of the OLED panels for monitors according to Omdia.

Samsung Electronics today announced the availability of its newest Odyssey gaming monitors, as well as the ViewFinity S8. The 2025 Odyssey lineup includes the revolutionary Odyssey 3D, the stunning Odyssey OLED G8—which features an industry-first 4K, 240 Hz screen—and the ultrawide Odyssey G9. These monitors, which push the boundaries of immersion and excellence, have been meticulously designed to deliver excellence to modern gamers.

"At Samsung, we are committed to delivering cutting-edge display technology that enhances the gaming experience," said Hoon Chung, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. "The new Odyssey monitors represent a significant leap forward in innovation, visual quality and performance, empowering gamers to fully immerse themselves and perform at their best."

Samsung has officially released its next-generation 9100 PRO series solid-state drives to the masses, with availability starting today. The drives leverage PCIe 5.0 technology to deliver sequential read/write speeds of up to 14,800/13,400 MB/s—twice as fast as previous generation offerings—while random read/write performance reaches 2,200K/2,600K IOPS. The series, available in standard and heatsink variants, marks Samsung's first consumer NVMe offerings to reach 8 TB capacity. The 9100 PRO line integrates Samsung's 5 nm controller architecture, yielding up to 49% improved power efficiency compared to prior models. This efficiency gain comes without compromising the form factor, with the drives maintaining a slim 0.35-inch profile. The heatsink variant provides additional thermal regulation capabilities for sustained performance under demanding workloads, making it particularly suitable for AI content generation, 8K video editing, and high-performance gaming applications.

Currently available configurations include 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB capacities, with pricing starting at $199.99 for the standard 1 TB model and $219.99 for the heatsink-equipped equivalent. The 2 TB models are priced at $299.99 and $319.99, respectively, while 4 TB variants command $549.99 and $569.99. Samsung has announced that 8 TB models will enter the market in H2 2025. Compatible with desktop PCs, laptops, and PlayStation 5 consoles featuring appropriate PCIe 5.0 slots, the drives incorporate Samsung's V-NAND TLC (V8) technology and LPDDR4X cache memory—ranging from 1 GB in the 1 TB model to 8 GB in the 8 TB version. Samsung's Magician Software suite provides management capabilities, including performance optimization and firmware update notifications.

According to The Korea Economic Daily, an unlikely alliance—involving Samsung Electronics and Palantir Technologies—was formed at the end of last year. Late last week, insiders posited that the South Korean megacorporation's Foundry business was going through troubled times. It is not clear whether the assistance provided by Palantir's AI-infused suite has produced pleasing results chez Samsung's flagship production hubs, but insiders reckon that utilization of the software started just before Christmas. Local media outlets view this unusual pairing as a "gamble"—reportedly, the new-ish initiative has targeted an improved "semiconductor yield (ratio of good products in total production), quality, and productivity."

The Samsung Foundry appears to be going "all-in" with its 2 nm GAA node process; industry moles picked up on signals transmitted by an alleged special "task force (TF)." This elite team is reportedly entrusted with a challenging two-pronged goal; get 2 nm GAA over the finish line by late 2025, alongside the (connected) finalization of a much-rumored "Exynos 2600" mobile chipset. The Korea Economic Daily news article mentions the expansion of a "Samsung DS Division AI Center" back in December (2025), but falls short of labelling this department as the aforementioned "special task force." Despite a previous reluctance to share sensitive data with external companies, the latest report suggests a significant change in strategy. Further details were disclosed: "(Samsung's) collaboration with Palantir is handled by the DS Division AI Center...The AI Center is an organization that merged the DS Division Innovation Center and SAIT (formerly Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology) AI Center, and is developing DS Division-specific technologies using AI, advancing development software, building AI platforms, and controlling and advancing facilities and infrastructure." Around late February, industry inside trackers predicted continued "smooth" progress with the 2 nm GAA node. Samsung Foundry's fully upgraded "S2" mass production line is expected to come online by Q4 2025.

Samsung Foundry could abandon its 1.4 nm (SF1.4) process node initially targeted for 2027 production, according to industry leaker @Jukanlosreve. This decision comes amid ongoing yield problems with the company's 3 nm SF3 node and follows the shutdown of underutilized 5 nm and 7 nm production lines. This could significantly impact Samsung's technology roadmap, which had positioned SF1.4 alongside automotive-focused SF2A and SF2Z nodes. According to Korea Economic Daily data, the foundry division's market share has fallen to 8.2% compared to TSMC's 67.1%. Samsung continues the development of Exynos 2600 on the SF2 node and maintains orders from Japan's Preferred Networks but has failed to attract major clients beyond Chinese firms, avoiding US sanctions. Internal restructuring appears imminent, with reports suggesting the Exynos design team may move under the Mobile Experience division.

While Samsung may prioritize improving yields on existing nodes rather than pursuing SF1.4, this approach risks competitive disadvantages in high-performance computing and AI markets. The SF2Z node with Backside Power Delivery Network (BPDN) technology remains under development, though its commercial viability depends on resolving broader manufacturing issues. Samsung's retreat would further fall behind advanced node manufacturing, competing with TSMC and potentially Intel, raising questions about competition in leading-edge semiconductor fabrication. The company's decisions in the coming months will determine whether it can regain manufacturing credibility or face production of trailing-edge semiconductor nodes. Manufacturing advanced silicon remains a challenge for everyone except TSMC.

Late last month, industry insiders posited that pleasing progress was being made with Samsung's cutting-edge 2 nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) node process. The rumored abandonment of an older 3 nm GAA-based project—in late 2024—has likely sent the South Korean foundry team into overdrive. A speculated Exynos 2500 flagship mobile processor was previously linked to said 3 nm node, but industry watchdogs believe that company engineers are experimenting with a 2 nm GAA manufacturing process. According to the latest insider report—from FN News SK—Samsung Foundry (SF) has assembled a special "task force (TF)." Allegedly, this elite team will be dedicated to getting a newer "Exynos 2600 chip" over the finish line—suggesting an abandonment of the older "2500" design, or a simple renaming.

Samsung's recent launch of Galaxy S25 series smartphones was reportedly viewed as a disappointing compromise—with all models being powered by Qualcomm's "first-of-its-kind customized Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform," instead of in-house devised chipsets. According to industry moles, one of the SF task force's main goals is a boosting of 2 nm GAA production yields up to "economically viable" levels (roughly 60-70%)—apparently last month's best result was ~30%. Mass production of prototype chipsets is tipped to start by May. Samsung's reported target of "stabilizing their Exynos 2600" SoC design will ensure that "Galaxy S26 series" devices will not become reliant on Qualcomm internals. Additionally, FN News proposes a bigger picture scenario: "the stabilization of 2 nm (SF2/GAA) products, is expected to speed up the acquisition of customers for Samsung Electronics' foundry division, which is thirsty for leading-edge process customers." A forthcoming rival next-gen mobile chip—Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2—is supposedly in the pipeline. The smartphone industry inside track reckons that Qualcomm has signed up with TSMC; with a 2 nm manufacturing process in mind.

Samsung Electronics and Logitech celebrate five years of partnership in video conferencing, combining their industry-leading solutions to enhance workplace collaboration and productivity. The integration of Samsung high-definition displays with Logitech's video conferencing solutions creates immersive, connected experiences ready to meet the needs of today's employees.

With the rise of flexible work environments, organizations require meeting spaces equipped with advanced video conferencing technology to enable seamless collaboration for distributed teams. Businesses can now leverage Samsung's high-definition displays with Logitech's conference cameras, webcams and audio systems to achieve crystal-clear video and sound, helping remote and in-person participants feel like they are in the same room. Samsung Interactive Displays also enable teams to connect, share ideas and whiteboard on a single screen. These meeting solutions make every participant feel equally engaged regardless of location.

TrendForce's latest research reveals that the global foundry industry exhibited a polarized trend in 4Q24. Advanced process nodes benefited from strong demand in AI servers, flagship smartphone application processors (APs), and new PC platforms, driving high-value wafer shipments. This growth helped offset the slowdown in mature process demand, allowing the top 10 foundries to achieve nearly 10% QoQ revenue growth, reaching US$38.48 billion, and marking another industry record.

TrendForce notes that new U.S. trade tariffs under the Trump administration have started affecting the foundry industry. A surge in recent orders for TVs, PCs, and notebooks bound for the U.S. in 4Q24 is expected to extend into 1Q25. Additionally, China's consumer subsidy program—introduced in late 2024—has spurred early inventory restocking among upstream customers. Combined with persistent demand for TSMC's AI-related chips and advanced packaging, these factors suggest that despite Q1 being a seasonally weak quarter, foundry revenue will only decline slightly.

Samsung Electronics is taking a close look at its chip design and foundry operations. This action could lead to organizational restructuring, including executive reassignments and workforce reallocation. The initiative aims to strengthen Samsung's competitive position against industry leaders such as TSMC. In January, the company's executives initiated an in-depth evaluation of the System LSI division, which handles chip design. After that, the company plans to extend the review to its foundry business. Significant restructuring may occur within the System LSI division, one proposal involves transferring the Exynos system-on-chip (SoC) business to the Mobile Experience (MX) division to better align with Samsung's smartphone strategy.

Samsung is also evaluating the potential pause of investments in its Pyeongtaek (South Korea) and Taylor (US) manufacturing facilities for its foundry business. At the same time, the company is developing strategies to improve yield rates in its advanced manufacturing processes. Moreover, Samsung is also considering changes within its image sensor business, potentially shifting focus from high-resolution sensors toward products for autonomous vehicles and robotics applications. This action represents the first major internal assessment since Samsung established its management analysis department in November 2024. The primary objective is to revitalize underperforming business divisions.

TrendForce's latest research reveals that the NAND Flash market faced downward pressure in 4Q24 as PC and smartphone manufacturers continued inventory clearance efforts, leading to significant supply chain adjustments. Consequently, NAND Flash prices reversed downward, with ASP dropping 4% QoQ, while overall bit shipments declined by 2%. Total industry revenue fell 6.2% QoQ to US$16.52 billion.

Looking ahead to 1Q25, the traditional slow season effect remains unavoidable despite suppliers actively reducing production. Server and other key end-market inventory restocking has slowed, and with both order volumes and contract prices declining sharply. NAND Flash industry revenue is expected to drop by up to 20% QoQ. However, as production cuts take effect and prices stabilize, the NAND Flash market is expected to recover in the second half of 2025.

Samsung Display announced today its participation in the Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC25), the world's premier connectivity event. At this influential gathering, Samsung Display will unveil its "OLED Magic" concept, showcasing the future of display technology.

The exhibition will highlight Samsung OLED's superior display quality through innovative form factors, featuring a tribute to the iconic landmarks of Spain, where MWC25 is being held. Attendees will be treated to a unique experience as Samsung OLED captures and expresses the vibrant, distinctive colors of Spain. A highlight of the exhibition will be the Seamless Color Studio, where the exceptional quality of OLED displays can be experienced across a variety of devices. The event will also showcase On-Cell Film (OCF) technology, a cutting-edge advancement in premium display technology.

Samsung's foundry operation has experienced many setbacks over the past six months, according to a steady feed of insider reports. Last November, industry moles leaked details of an apparent abandonment of the company's 3 nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) process. Significant yield problems prompted an alleged shift into 2 nm territories, with a next-gen flagship Exynos mobile processor linked to this cutting-edge node. According to a mid-week Chosun Daily article, Samsung and its main rival—TSMC—are in a race to establish decent yields of 2 nm wafers, ahead of predicted "late 2025" mass production kick-offs. The publication's inside track points to the Taiwanese foundry making the most progress (with an estimated 60%), but watchdogs warn that it is too early to bet against the South Korean competitor.

Despite murmurs of current 20 - 30% yields, the Samsung's Hwaseong facility is touted to make "smooth" progress over the coming months. Chosun's sources believe that Samsung engineers struggled to get 3 nm GAA "up to snuff," spending around three years on development endeavors (in vain). In comparison, the making of 2 nm GAA is reported to be less bumpy. A fully upgraded "S3" foundry line is expected to come online by the fourth quarter of this year. An unnamed insider commented on rumors of better than anticipated forward motion chez Samsung Electronics: "there are positive aspects to this as it has shown technological improvements, such as the recent increase in the yield of its 4 nm process by up to 80%." Recent-ish reports suggest that foundry teams have dealt with budget cuts, as well as mounting pressure from company leadership to hit deadlines.

Samsung Display today revealed plans to exhibit its next-generation OLED technology, boasting an impressive maximum brightness of 5,000 nits, at the Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC25) on March 3.

The ultra-high brightness OLED was developed based on the polarizer-less display, also known as on-cell film (OCF) technology, which Samsung Display was the first to commercialize. This innovation not only enhances outdoor visibility but also reduces power consumption, paving the way for significant design flexibility. OCF technology is being applied to a bar-type smartphone and a rollable laptop, following its success in foldable smartphones, and is being recognized by customers as a high-value display technology.

TrendForce's latest research reveals that global DRAM industry revenue surpassed US$28 billion in 4Q24, marking a 9.9% QoQ increase. This growth was primarily driven by rising contract prices for server DDR5 and concentrated shipments of HBM, leading to continued revenue expansion for the top three DRAM suppliers.

Most contract prices across applications were seen to have reversed downward. However, increased procurement of high-capacity server DDR5 by major American CSPs helped sustain price momentum for server DRAM.

Samsung aims to create 1,000-layer NAND by 2030 relying on its new "multi-BV" NAND design. The Bell reports that this plan involves stacking four wafers to overcome structural limits. Wafer bonding technology plays a crucial role in this progress and Samsung intends to use it to break the 1,000-layer barrier. Samsung Electronics DS division CTO, Song Jae-hyuk, pointed out that wafer bonding allows separate production of peripheral and cell wafers before joining them into one semiconductor. The Bell says this technology will likely appear first in Samsung's 10th-gen NAND (V10), while industry experts think a single wafer can hold about 500 NAND layers when implementing only cell structures. In the past, Samsung has used the COP (Cell on Peripheral) technique, a method that places the peripheral circuit on one wafer, with NAND cells stacked on top. However, as NAND layers grow, the lower peripheral parts face more pressure potentially affecting reliability.

Samsung's plan involves working with China's YMTC, which should offer a hybrid bonding patent for V10 NAND. ZDNet reports that the South Korean tech company will start making its V10 NAND in large quantities in the second half of 2025, with about 420-430 layers. Besides wafer bonding, Samsung adds other technologies to its NAND plan. The Bell points out that cold etching using molybdenum, and other new ideas will start with 400-layer NAND and play a key part in growing to 1,000 layers. Samsung isn't alone in trying to create ultra-high-layer NAND products. Japan's Kioxia also wants to reach this goal through its "multi-stack CBA" (CMOS Bonded to Array) technology. The company's plan is even bolder hoping to sell 1,000-layer 3D NAND by 2027.

Samsung Electronics America, a world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced the 9100 PRO series solid state drives (SSDs), the newest addition to its consumer SSD lineup. Featuring blazing fast speeds and even more storage capacities, the 9100 PRO and 9100 PRO with Heatsink SSDs are designed to deliver next-gen performance - offering the ultimate storage solution for your digital life.

"From AI-driven creators shaping the future to gamers pushing the limits, we saw a clear need for innovation to support users who need more forward-thinking memory technology as they push the bounds of what's possible in their work," said Jim Kiczek, Vice President of Memory Product Marketing at Samsung Electronics America. "The 9100 PRO SSD establishes a new era of performance to help them achieve exactly that. With more storage, even better speeds, improved power efficiency and seamless reliability, the lineup empowers users to continue innovating without storage limitations."