Samsung flash era theory has been questioned

Samsung CEO Huang Changgui (Chang Gyu Hwang) by the industry as "open flash pioneer era", the day before he predicted "hard times" is gradually ending, "flash" era is coming. In this argument, the world's largest hard disk manufacturer Seagate CEO Bill Watkins (Bill Watkins) does not agree. Business Week reporter Arik Hesseldahl on the hard disk, flash contention, hard disk storage, storage industry, the future direction of the interview Bill - Watkins.

The day before the launch of Samsung NAND flash memory chip is a 16GB, and that the 32GB memory will be launched next year, more than two years after 100GB fashmemory may also become a reality. At this rate of development, NAND flash will eventually enter the desktop computer, which replace the hard disk. But Watkins did not think that the hard disk will soon be abandoned, from 380 million this year, next year is expected to 420 million shipments, he predicted that the general trend is: hard disk and flash memory will coexist for a long period of time in the market. Q: it is generally concerned about the power of mobile devices, flash has an absolute advantage in this regard. What do you think of the extended battery life of consumers?

A: we've done a lot of work to extend battery life. We found that if consumers are satisfied in terms of capacity, will naturally be willing to accept the power consumption of the hard disk. In fact, when consumers use MP3 player, memory power consumption is not the biggest problem, but the MP3 player other parts of the power consumption is large.

Q: are there any other advantages of the hard disk in addition to flash memory?

A: if consumers want to enjoy high-quality audio or video programs, the hard disk is the preferred storage device. Because of the low reading and writing speed of flash memory, it seriously affects the processing of high quality audio or video.

Q: some time ago Toshiba launched 0.85 inches of small hard disk, Seagate will launch similar products?

A: we think Toshiba's strategy is not desirable. When we compete with flash products, we must maintain the advantage of 4:1, that is, the same cost, the capacity can be reached, the hard disk must reach 4 times more capacity. In the 1 inch series, Seagate can do, in the field of 0.85 inches, Seagate does not necessarily have a chance of winning, but the volume is not suitable for small scale development direction.

Q: market more and more attention to the mobile phone customers, Seagate will have the relevant strategy?

A: before we take the initiative to contact with the mobile phone manufacturers, they do not pay attention to this, because then only need 1GB capacity is enough. With the rise of playing music mobile phones, playing TV phones, their mobile phone hard disk capacity requirements of 10GB-20GB.

Q: Seagate has recently launched a hard disk for the automotive market. Do you think the hard disk in the automotive market opportunities?

A: auto makers demand a lot of hard drive. First, car manufacturers want to bring entertainment equipment into the back seat. Because the car has been equipped with CD, DVD player, consumers want to be able to download the entertainment content to the storage device anytime, anywhere. Second, the modern car will be installed in the global positioning system (GPS), download a map of the place also need to save the storage device. Third, manufacturers want to be able to install the hard disk in the automotive engine, to collect more information about the state of the engine work, which has an important impact on the automotive insurance information collection.