Dive Brief:
- SanDisk said it is introducing a new line of storage devices built for the Internet of Things (IoT), CIO reports.
- IoT devices need storage that can last longer and withstand more extreme temperatures than storage devices made for consumer purposes.
- SanDisk said the new devices will help meet growing needs to process and store data as the IoT market expands.
Dive Insight:
Traditional flash memory cards won’t work in IoT devices like remote video cameras, cellular base stations or the electrical grid. But the new SanDisk Industrial line includes cards built to tougher specifications and rated to work in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius. The industrial cards can also write more data before they have to be replaced, said Martin Booth, director of SanDisk Industrial and SanDisk Automotive.
The heavy-duty flash devices are not as fast as consumer models. But speed not an issue as much in IoT devices as it is with consumer cards. An included feature called Enhanced Power Immunity is designed to help prevent data loss in case of power failure.
The new cards range in size from 4GB up to 64GB and will cost more than comparable consumer-grade products, Booth said. They will only be sold to equipment manufacturers.
Gartner estimates the IoT market will consist of 25 billion devices by 2020.
