Samsung Flash production

The success of Apple's flash-based iPod shuffle has prompted Samsung to offer Apple a deep discount with the promise of dedicating 40 percent of its flash-memory manufacturing capacity to seal the deal. The most likely reason that Apple would want to boost its buying of NAND flash, says BusinessWeek, is for a new version of the iPod. Rumors have been circulating that a Flash-based iPod mini (or similar device) may be in the works. "One of the biggest criticisms of the iPod Shuffle, successful as it has been, is that it doesn't have a display screen that lets users see what song is playing. A more expensive player using flash memory boasting capacities of 2 gigabytes to 4 gigabytes -- and which includes a display screen -- might make sense from a cost standpoint." Apple may less obvious plans as well. "They may be using all this flash memory for something else," speculates Tim Bajarin.

by MacNN Staff