Samsung, Google reportedly ink 3D NAND deal
Samsung Electronics has inked an agreement to produce its 3D NAND solid state drives for Google, in a deal deemed to beef up the South Korean manufacturer's gameplay against its global competitors.
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The value of the agreement was undetermined, though a source had described it as "sizeable", reported The Korea Times, citing an executive from a Samsung business partner. "The agreement calls for Samsung to supply 3D NAND SSD products for Google data centers. Samsung is in discussions with Google to end some minor differences such as guaranteed shipments and pricing," the source said.
The Korea Times said Samsung had declined comment while Google was not available for its report. It noted that Samsung's manufacturing plant in Xian, China, would grow its 3D NAND chips shipment to 960,000 wafers this year, up from 480,000 in 2014.
The company is most commonly associated with the production of these chips, having launched generations of 3D NAND chips over the last couple of years including its 3D V-NAND SSD for enterprise, which was first unveiled in August 2013.
Earlier this week, however, Intel and Micron Technology announced plans to produce 3D NAND technology, which they said would offer up to three times the density of competing products in this space. The two companies said full production would ramp up later this year.