SanDisk Announces Smaller Media Card

SanDisk has announced yet another multimedia card form factor, aimed at cell phones that require small storage cards.

From the SanDisk press release:

SanDisk Corporation today introduced a Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC) aimed at meeting the needs of some of the new multimedia cell phones that require a smaller card. The announcement was made at the CeBIT 2004 trade show where SanDisk is demonstrating products in Hall 1, Stand 2A14 and Stand 3D 2.

As one of the world’s smallest flash memory form factors, this solid-state card is about half the size of a postage stamp (and of a standard MultiMediaCard), measures 24×18x1.4 mm, and is removable. With a mechanical extender, it can be used in any full-sized MultiMediaCard slot as well as SD host devices that support the MultiMediaCard.

Bo Ericsson, SanDisk vice-president of product marketing, said the Reduced Size MultiMediaCard “rounds out our flash memory offerings for the mobile phone industry. We now have a complete line of products that will cover every cell phone form factor.” With the popularity of camera phones, companies are looking for high-capacity memory in smaller components, he added.

The SanDisk Reduced Sized MultiMediaCard comes in 32, 64 and 128 megabyte capacities, and is projected to ship in the second quarter of this year. OEM pricing will range from $14.50 for the 32MB card to $40 for the 128MB card, in volume.

“We believe that this card will be a major driver in cell phones,” said Andy Prophet, executive director of the MultiMediaCard Association, based in Cupertino, Calif. “The size is optimal, and it is designed into the handsets of some of the top mobile phone manufacturers in the world. SanDisk’s entry into the market gives the card an extra boost.”