0
Samsung Electronics has developed the industry's first Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 5.0 memory solution optimized for on-device AI. Pictured above is the UFS 5.0. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics has developed the industry's first next-generation UFS 5.0 memory solution. Optimized for the era of on-device artificial intelligence (AI), the product is recognized for delivering the industry’s highest performance. The company plans to begin mass production in the second half of this year to preemptively respond to market demands.

On June 23, Samsung Electronics announced the breakthrough, adding that the product integrates the UFS 5.0 interface, the latest embedded memory standard established by the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC). A Samsung Electronics official explained that the solution was developed using the company's advanced 9th-generation V-NAND (V9) technology, simultaneously achieving an industry-leading data transfer bandwidth of 10.8 GB/s and superior power efficiency.

As generative AI expands from cloud-centric platforms to on-device AI, the volume of data that must be processed locally within mobile devices is skyrocketing. Consequently, storage solutions are evolving into critical infrastructure that anchors AI computation. Against this backdrop, Samsung’s UFS 5.0 delivers optimized capabilities, supporting sequential read speeds of 10.8 GB/s and sequential write speeds of 9.5 GB/s. This represents a more than twofold performance leap compared to the existing UFS 4.1, enabling significantly faster processing of massive datasets.

"The solution is perfectly tailored for the diverse data processing requirements of AI application environments," a Samsung Electronics official stated. "It will reduce data latency in on-device AI environments and support AI services with faster response times."

Optimized for next-generation mobile low-power environments, the UFS 5.0 improves power efficiency by more than 40% over its predecessor. This was achieved by introducing various new technologies, including clock gating—which cuts off operation signals to idle circuits to boost power efficiency—and multi-voltage supply, which applies optimal voltages to individual circuits to curtail power consumption and heat generation.

Furthermore, the product features a compact package measuring 7.5 mm in width, 13 mm in length, and 0.9 mm in height, making it 16.7% smaller than the previous generation. This downscaling enhances design flexibility and spatial efficiency for mobile, wearable, and extended reality (XR) devices. Samsung plans to offer capacities of up to 1 terabyte (TB).

"In the era of on-device AI, storage solutions are transcending their traditional role as mere data repositories to become a core element that defines the overall AI experience," said Choi Jang-seok, Senior Vice President of the Memory Product Planning Team at Samsung Electronics. "By completing the development of the industry's first UFS 5.0, we are setting a new benchmark for next-generation mobile storage and will continue to spearhead mobile AI innovation."

Samsung Electronics is scheduled to kick off mass production of the UFS 5.0 in the fourth quarter of this year. Moving forward, the company intends to expand its UFS 5.0 supply in tandem with the growth of next-generation device markets, including flagship smartphones, XR headsets, and AI wearables.

                                                                                                              Choi In-gyu