Macronix, a provider of non-volatile memory solutions, has launched a new family of wide-voltage, ultra-low-power NOR Flash memory products designed for next-generation wearable devices. The MX25R family features power consumption that is 60% lower than that of traditional devices and a Vcc wide-voltage span of 1.7V–3.6V to support diverse requirements of wearable devices. The MX25R family supports the standard Serial NOR Flash memory interface with ultra-small product packages such as USON and WLCSP, and KGD (known good die) products for SIP (system-in-package) solutions.

Market research firm, IDC, sees surging growth for the wearables market, with  shipments estimated to exceed 112 million units by 2018, and a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 78.4% in the same timeframe.

With mushrooming need for Flash memory to support the myriad of innovative wearables coming to market, Macronix has accelerated development of related product solutions, such as the new MX25R wide-voltage/ultra-low power NOR Flash family, to reinforce its position as a leading memory provider.

“Low power consumption and small form-factor designs will be key factors in consumer acceptance of wearable devices,” stated Mr. Min-Cheng Lin, Macronix segment marketing department deputy director. “We see next-generation memory advancing in three ways:

1. Standardised interfaces that will ease the process of importing data; 2. Smaller, lighter and slimmer form factors; 3. Power supply design focused on ultra-low voltage and energy consumption.”

Besides its wide-voltage/ultra-low power MX25R family, Macronix solutions popular in wearable products consist of 1.8V 512Kb–512Mb Serial NOR devices. These are offered in small footprints such as KGD (known good die) and WLCSP (wafer-level chip-scale packages). Macronix MCP (multi-chip package) memory has also been utilised in many smart wearable products. The Company’s intensive research and development of memory technologies has delivered VG (vertical gate) 3D NAND, using its own patented BE-SONOS technology to break through manufacturing process restrictions; and ReRAM (resistive random-access memory) technology utilising a simple storage unit structure that features high speed and low power consumption for future wearable applications.