Micron mass-produces Phase Change Memory (Flash Memory replacement )

The Register ^ | 17th July 2012 16:01 GMT | Tony Smith

[antiRepublicrat]

The whole point of the article *is* that it’s in commercial production.

Technically, yes, but it won't be competing with flash for storage volume any time soon. It may be useful where small amounts of very fast storage are needed, but you won't see it in a phone or tablet for years at least. Sad, because the speed of the storage is becoming a big obstacle to modern devices. That's probably why Apple bought that Israeli NAND optimization company.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I guess its commercialization will parallel what we have
seen with other types of memory. There will likely be
found a sweet spot in the array of devices out there where
its price/performance characteristics make sense for the
given application. Obviously as time goes on economies
of scale will kick in and prices will drop. Early adopters
always pay a premium. Later adopters get to back up the
truck and load up. It’s always seemed to me that the
rate at which prices drop and production ramps up is faster
than initially expected but fundamentally the technology
has to deliver a clear advantage for that to happen. It
would seem that that is the case here but I’m no expert
and time will tell.