Embedded Flash Not Living Up to Expectations

Despite the desire on the part of many to include embedded flash memory (eFlash) in their designs, this market has yet to reach the potential originally forecast. The rapid growth in the use of eFlash has been limited because of a variety of issues, including the resulting cost associated with the embedding of it. As a result, worldwide merchant market dollar shipments of customer-specific, cell-based designs, containing one or more blocks of eFlash memory, are forecast to increase from $195.8M in 2002 to $363.9M by 2007 (Figure ).

While the problems with embedding flash are similar to those seen in the embedded DRAM market, those associated with eFlash are more complex and diverse. However, although the use of both of these embedded memory technologies will continue to increase in dollar value beyond 2007, the replacement of DRAM with 1-T SRAM will cause eFlash to grow at a much faster pace. The fact that flash is non-volatile and deterministic will secure its edge over DRAM.

In-Stat/MDR has also found that:

• Although eFlash design starts will outpace the overall customer-specific, cell-based design starts by a factor of >7:1, they will still account for a <20% overall market share.
• In the eFlash market, as is the case in other markets employing customer-specific, high-complexity designs, high-end communications infrastructure applications will overwhelmingly dominate product dollar consumption, as this technology completely dominates the eFlash market, accounting for four out of every five dollars consumed.
• The Americas will control product consumption in this specific market until well after the end of the forecast period. Japan and the Americas combined will account for about three-quarters of all customer-specific, eFlash product-based dollar consumption throughout the forecast period.
• While the use of eFlash memory is a tempting prospect for use in future designs, the reality is that most new designs cannot sustain the added expense, both in overhead and cost.

The report, "In a Flash — Embedded Flash Memory in Customer-Specific, Cell-Based Designs," presents a detailed analysis of the customer-specific, cell-based eFlash market. End-use consumption of products designed using this technology is examined in detail for major end-use markets: electronic data processing (EDP), communications, consumer, industrial, military and automotive.

To purchase this report, or for more information, please contact Rick Vogelei at 480-609-4533; rvogelei@reedbusiness.com.