Sony, SanDisk Develop Smaller Memory Stick

Sony on Thursday announced that it had developed a new version of its proprietary memory card format called Memory Stick Micro. About a quarter of the size of its predecessor, Micro is designed for use in compact mobile phones. Sony, along with manufacturer SanDisk, will begin offering licenses for the technology starting next week.

"Sony and SanDisk recognize the rapidly growing market opportunity for memory cards with multimedia mobile phones, and are joining forces to develop the ultra-small Memory Stick Micro format to foster development of extremely compact multimedia mobile phones," Dr. Eli Harari, president and chief executive officer of SanDisk said. The product is expected to ship in the first half of 2006.