Copyright Wccftech
The advancements in High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) have led South Korean memory manufacturer SK hynix to tackle another performance bottleneck, which can be resolved by developing High Bandwidth Storage (HBS), enabling future smartphones and tablets to flaunt impressive AI capabilities. The company will achieve this feat by stacking up to 16 stacks of DRAM and NAND chips together using a technology called vertical wire fan-out (VFO) to improve data processing speeds. VFO helps prevent data transmission losses because it connects stacks of DRAM and NAND chips in a straight line, as opposed to curved wire bonding A report from ETNews states that for HBS to be a success, VFO packaging is paramount. SK hynix first introduced this technology in 2023, with High Bandwidth Storage now being incorporated in smartphones and tablets as generative AI becomes a ubiquitous entity. The implementation of HBS is possible all thanks to VFO, which helps connect the stacked DRAM and NAND chips in a straight line. Unlike conventional curved wire bonding, VFO reduces wiring distance, signal transmission loss, and delay, and allows for more I/O connections. All of these improvements combined help boost data processing performance. HBS will be packaged with a smartphone chipset, which is then fitted onto the smartphone’s or tablet’s logic board. There are no updates on which SoCs will support High Bandwidth Storage, but the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro is rumored to support both LPDDR6 and UFS 5.0 storage, making it a prime candidate. Will High Bandwidth Storage be expensive for smartphone and tablet manufacturers? Unlike HBM, HBS does not require Through Silicon Via (TSV), which is a process that requires penetrating the chip. The removal of this step results in lower manufacturing costs and increased yields, both of which will be music to the ears of those who wish to incorporate this storage. Apple is reported to use HBM and TSV for future devices, allowing iPhones to run more intensive AI models locally, so it should not be surprising to learn that the company is already exploring HBS. News Source: ETNews
