With Intel rumoured to be set to raise its SSD capacity up to 320GB through a shrink to a 34nm process, its Flash partner Micron has introduced - guess what - NAND chips using a 34nm process.

Micron has just announced a net loss of $290m for its third fiscal 2009 quarter, on net sales of $1.1bn.

Micron says both 16 and 32Gb products feature an ONFI 2.1 synchronous interface that delivers transfer speeds of up to 200MB/s: "The fastest read and write throughputs offered in today’s NAND devices." Customers can expect this high-speed interface to be designed into all future high-density Micron NAND products.

Micron subsidiary Lexar Media is offering flash memory cards, such as a 32GB Platinum II SDHC memory card, and USB flash drives using the new 34nm process chips.

The Micron results statement said: "Revenue from sales of NAND Flash products was flat in the third quarter compared to the second quarter. Significant cost reductions in NAND Flash production contributed to comparably lower average selling prices to Intel Corporation, the company’s IM Flash joint venture partner.

"However, the effects of these lower average selling prices to Intel were offset by an overall 20 per cent increase in NAND Flash sales volume and a significant increase in average selling prices to all other trade customers."

This backs up the idea that what Micron is doing now with its 34nm process Intel must surely be ready to follow. ®

Related stories

• Micron's new flash dies live longer (19 October 2009)
• Could Micron buy Numonyx? (4 September 2009)
• Will Intel's Braidwood threaten SSD uptake? (1 September 2009)
• Patriot provides 'Mac-specific' SSD series (13 August 2009)
• STEC goes on range extension rampage (12 August 2009)
• Intel fixes flash and flashes 3-bit NAND (11 August 2009)
• Micron barges into PCIe SSD business (28 July 2009)
• Intel in (halfhearted) SSD boost (21 July 2009)
• Intel to deliver Postville in August (20 July 2009)
• OCZ boosts Vertex SSD series speeds (14 July 2009)
• Seagate's SSD may be a bit late (2 July 2009)
• Comment SSD and HDD capacity goes on embiggening (9 January 2009)
• Sun and Micron extend flash life (19 December 2008)
• UPDATE Micron becomes Fusion follower (3 December 2008)
• Micron to cut 2,850 jobs, slash NAND flash biz (9 October 2008)
• Intel roadmaps hi-speed SSDs (18 August 2008)
• Micron debuts SSD duo (5 August 2008)
• Micron burned by cooling chip market in Q2 (3 April 2008)
• Micron takes on solid state drives (29 November 2007)