Sony and SanDisk launch Memory Stick Micro

30 September 2005 16:33 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Another day, another format from Sony. This time the company has launched the “Memory Stick Micro” format, an ultra-small media format designed to meet the growing storage needs of highly compact, multifunctional mobile phones.

The new memory card measures just 15 x 12.5 x 1.2mm, making it even smaller than the Micro SD card, also developed by SanDisk and previously known as TransFlash.

“Memory Stick Micro” media is approximately one-quarter the size of “Memory Stick PRO Duo” media, yet only about 1.2 mm thick. The media's edges are slotted lengthwise to allow for more slim-line designed connectors to reduce space in host devices. As dual-voltage media, Memory Stick Micro supports devices operating at 3.3 volts and 1.8 volts.

Dr. Eli Harari, president and chief executive officer of SanDisk Corporation, said "The Memory Stick PRO format co-developed with Sony has become a highly successful product line for us due to its popularity with a wide range of consumer electronic products such as digital cameras and videogame consoles. Sony and SanDisk recognize the rapidly growing market opportunity for memory cards with multimedia mobile phones, and are joining forces to develop the ultra-small Memory Stick Micro format to foster development of extremely compact multimedia mobile phones".

The Memory Stick Micro media will be made available in the first half of 2006.