Western Digital Corp. today announced its second-generation UFS 3.1 storage solution for 5G smartphones. The new Western Digital iNAND MC EU551 delivers the high-performance storage consumers need to be able to use their phones for emerging applications like ultra-high-resolution cameras, AR/VR, gaming and 8K video.

IDC expects 5G smartphone shipments to account for more than 40% of global volume in 2021 and grow to 69% in 2025. As networks continue to expand available bandwidth and offer lower latency to enable new user experiences, Western Digital's iNAND solutions deliver the high-capacity, high-performance embedded storage needed to power these exciting new applications."We rely on smartphones in virtually every aspect of our lives. Coupled with high-speed 5G networks, sensor innovation and AI, the average capacity in phones is growing as is the need for higher performance to handle new multimedia capabilities," said Huibert Verhoeven, senior vice president, Automotive, Mobile and Emerging Markets, Western Digital. "With this new UFS 3.1 iNAND solution, we allow users to tap into data-rich applications and enjoy faster streaming for new ways to play, work and learn."

The iNAND MC EU551 mobile storage device is the first product built on Western Digital's new UFS 3.1 platform, first announced on May 26 at the company's Flash Perspective event. Leveraging faster NAND, a faster controller, and an improved firmware design, the iNAND MC EU551 delivers the following improvements over the previous generation, with up to a:

• 100% improvement in random read performance and up to 40% on random writes, to help support mixed workload experiences like running multiple applications simultaneously
• 90% improvement in sequential writes to help realize the new 5G and Wi-Fi 6 download speed potential. This gives consumers a better experience when streaming rich media files such as 8K video, as well as improved performance for applications like burst mode photography
• 30% improvement in sequential reads lets applications launch faster with shorter boot-up time, and enables faster upload speeds

The device is designed to meet the JEDEC UFS 3.1 specification requirements and uses the latest Write Booster technology based on Western Digital's 7th generation SmartSLC. It also features Host Performance Booster version 2.0, further combining the latest advancements in the standard.

Ecosystem Support
The iNAND MC EU551 is the latest addition to the iNAND family, which has been trusted by all major smartphone manufacturers around the world for more than a decade. As part of its work in the mobile ecosystem, Western Digital continues to work with leading system on SoC designers to qualify its UFS 3.1 solution for smartphone reference designs that offer a pre-tested solution for manufacturers to integrate.

Availability
The Western Digital iNAND MC EU551 UFS 3.1 embedded flash drive (EFD) is sampling now with volume availability planned in July 2021. The storage solution is available in 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB capacities.