Micron and Intel looking for new partners after announcing split

Micron and Intel are on the hunt for new partners after announcing that they will part ways following the current ongoing NAND project.

The two firms have announced that they will stop collaborating with one another after they complete development of a 96-layer 3D-NAND flash. Micron and Intel are currently developing the second generation (64-layer), and the third generation is expected to reach 96-layer. This means that, for development of products greater than 96-layer, the two will part ways formally.

The short term impact won’t see much change, however the prospect of new partnerships is likely to draw in a lot of attention. According to DRAMeXchange, a division of TrendForce, Intel and Tsinghua Unigroup are already discussing further collaboration in product offerings and sales. Cooperation between Intel and Tsinghua Unigroup in storage applications can help UNIC improve its channel competitiveness

Intel is likely to continue to focus on the Chinese market in search for new partners. The company has been actively seeking different opportunities of cooperation and joint venture for various product lines, including CPU, modem and memory products. In addition, Intel has been expanding its production capacity in China, and its fab in Dalian has entered production of 3D-NAND Flash.

Tsinghua Unigroup has deployed a roadmap in flash memory industry. Yangtze Memory Technologies Company (YMTC), another company under Tsinghua Unigroup, will be responsible for flash memory products development, design and production, while UNIC will be responsible for selling.