Lexar and Kodakannounced today the continued expansion of KODAK flash memory cards with the introduction of KODAK xD-Picture Cards.

The addition of the xD-Picture Card continues the companies' commitment to offer consumers a range of popular digital media formats. Lexar will distribute and market KODAK xD-Picture Cards through both Lexar and Kodak's global retail distribution channels beginning in the fourth quarter of 2004.

"Retailers and distributors worldwide are eager to begin offering KODAK xD-Picture Cards to more fully meet the consumer demand spurred by the popularity of digital photography," said Bobby Billman, vice president of marketing, Lexar. "With this addition to the KODAK memory card line, we are offering a wider variety of products that people trust for capturing and preserving their memories -- hallmarks of Kodak."

The xD-Picture Card is one of the smallest flash memory card formats for digital cameras and accounted for 12.8 percent of the total U.S. flash memory card market in June, according to NPD Group. The xD-Picture Cards offer large capacities for high mega-pixel photos and can support a maximum future capacity of 8 gigabytes.

"KODAK media cards are already enjoying widespread market acceptance," noted Peter Jameson of Kodak. "Kodak's and Lexar's ability to place media cards in new retail channels and locations provides significant opportunity to broaden how people view and use removable memory."

Announced in May, Lexar and Kodak formed a long-term relationship to gain a larger share of the market for removable digital memory products, driven by surging demand from the mass-market adoption of digital cameras, mobile phone cameras, portable music players and other consumer electronics devices.