CANNES, France-The MultiMediaCard Association introduced version 4.0 of the MultiMediaCard specification, which offers wider bus width, dual-voltage operation and higher transfer speeds.
The new specification includes three key features. The wider bus width allows for host design flexibility and higher data transfer bandwidth at a given clock speed to accommodate the more data-intensive content in wireless phones and digital cameras, said the group. In addition, higher clock frequency allows higher data transfer rates and better compatibility with mobile-phone architectural requirements. Finally, dual-voltage operation allows both 3.3 V and 1.8 V operation. 1.8 V is important for new generations of cell phones and small mobile devices that operate at lower voltages for lower power consumption, said MMCA.
“The MMCA has made a strategic decision to target the mobile-phone market, and because that segment is forecast to be the leading application for flash cards by 2006, it has given new life to the format,” said Joe Unsworth, semiconductor memory analyst for GartnerDataquest.
