SD gives consumers data transfer speeds that exceed even the most
demanding high-def recording needs today with an important leap in SD bus-interface speeds up to 312 Megabytes per second with its new
UHS-II bus-interface specification.
These high transfer speeds give manufacturers the flexibility to
develop new features and markets for mobile phones and other consumer electronics strengthened by the memory card standard.
The SD Association also announced today eBook, an application
specification that gives eBook publishers access to SD-equipped
mobile phones and other portable devices.
"UHS-II increases SD performance and value and delivers immediate
impact on manufacturer innovation and consumer creativity," said Norm
Frentz, chairman of the SD Association. "We've tripled bus-interface
speeds from last year's UHS-I development, and we plan to double
UHS-II speeds in the future."
The new SD 4.00 specification available to members this quarter turns
SD memory cards into high-performing storage systems and consumers'
video and still cameras into professional-level equipment. Tripled
bus-interface speeds give manufacturers more flexible design options,
including low voltage and low power consumption, for large and small
SD devices without compromising data transfer rates. Consumers will
be able to increase the power and possibility of their mobile phone
at home and work, recording high-definition video directly onto their
UHS-II memory card and backing up data. SD benefits are heightened
with UHS bus interface, providing faster continuous shooting speed
for digital still cameras and higher resolution movie recordings in
video cameras, including 3D HD. Since it is fully backwards
compatible, devices supporting UHS bus interface will accept the
existing SD memory cards in the market today.
New high-speed interface signals are assigned on the second row of
pins on UHS-II SDXC and SDHC memory cards. This new speed option
will be available in full-size SDHC and SDXC memory cards and
microSDHC and microSDXC form factors and does not change the physical
size or shape of the cards.
Both UHS-I and UHS-II make the massive storage specified for SDHC and
SDXC manageable and even more portable. Ultra High Speed was
announced in June 2010 and UHS-I delivers top bus-interface speeds of
104 Megabytes per second. UHS bus interfaces are backwards compatible
and are exclusive to SDXC and SDHC products.
All UHS-equipped memory cards achieve greatest performance when
paired with corresponding UHS devices. Both SDXC UHS-I and SDHC UHS-I
products are already in retail outlets around the world.
"Our new eBook application brings the digital book niche to the
global masses. It opens broad consumer access to eBook content and
turns billions of existing SD mobile phones and devices into
eReaders," Frentz said. "SD continues to evolve its capabilities
to support voracious consumer demand for portable movies, television
broadcasts, highdefinition home videos and now full-color books."
The eBook application increases the value of SD-slotted mobile phones
and other display devices. Publishers and readers alike will benefit
from full-color books as pre-loaded and portable content. The
application lets consumers create an expandable digital library and
view content on other SD devices. It also opens new and secure
opportunities for content publishers who are currently limited by
downloaded content restricted for use only on specific devices.
SD application specifications are designed so SD memory cards can be
used in all SD devices.