UFS 4.0 flash drives will take over smartphones next year. This new standard from Samsung promises to improve transfer speeds, boost performance, and increase battery life.
Universal Flash Storage 4.0 (UFS 4.0) is the new flash storage standard that promises to revolutionize the world of smartphones. Announced at the beginning of May by Samsung, this standard succeeds UFS 3.1, which has imposed itself on phones for two years. As the name suggests, it is an evolution of Universal Flash Storage (UFS). As a reminder, the UFS standard has gradually replaced eMMC memory on smartphones since 2015. UFS 4.0 flash memory promises a significant increase in the performance of mobile devices.
First, UFS 4.0 storage ensures faster transfers. It enables transfer speeds of up to 23.2 Gbps per channel, twice the speed of UFS 3.1 (11.6 Gbps). It is also 4 times faster than the UFS 2.1 standard. The new standard will provide a maximum of 4200 MB/s in sequential reading and a maximum of 2800 MB/s in sequential writing. According to Samsung's announcement, UFS 4.0 is particularly suitable for new uses, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, or even 5G. These emerging technologies require the transmission of a large amount of data. Glasses connected to smartphones, such as the OPPO Airglass, will also benefit.
UFS 4.0 Memory: Faster, More Powerful, More Energy Efficient
UFS 4.0 will be accompanied by better smartphone performance. Thanks to its bandwidth, the standard will improve the overall experience of phones by speeding up the opening of applications and games. Memory consuming applications will particularly benefit, such as games with photorealistic graphics or video recording applications. UFS 4.0 storage also features better energy efficiency. Samsung confirms that the standard consumes 46% less power than UFS 3.1. By reducing the power consumption of data transfers, the standard allows manufacturers to improve battery life.
Finally, Flash Memory 4.0 is based on more compact chips than the previous standard. Each slice measures 11mm x 13mm x 1mm. Thanks to this miniature component, manufacturers will be able to save space. By reorganizing internal components, manufacturers can, for example, include larger batteries, which helps improve their efficiency.
Currently, there is no smartphone compatible with the UFS 4.0 standard. Samsung has committed to launching custom chip production from the third quarter of 2022. Each chip will be able to hold up to 1 TB of storage, twice the components of UFS 3.1. The first compatible smartphones are expected to be discovered in early 2023. Obviously, all eyes are on the Galaxy S23, one of Samsung's upcoming flagships. Android manufacturers such as OnePlus, Xiaomi, Google and Oppo should quickly follow in the footsteps of smartphone leader Samsung.