Motivation
As of 2006, NAND flash memory chips from most vendors use similar packaging, have similar pinouts, and accept similar sets of low-level commands. As a result, when more capable and inexpensive models of NAND flash become available, product designers can incorporate them without major design changes. However, "similar" operation is not optimal: subtle differences in timing and command set mean that products must be thoroughly debugged and tested when a new model of flash chip is used in them. When a flash controller is expected to operate with various NAND flash chips, it must store a table of them in its firmware so that it knows how to deal with differences in their interfaces. This increases the complexity and time-to-market of flash-based devices, and means they are likely to be incompatible with future models of NAND flash, unless and until their firmware is updated.
Thus, one of the main motivations for standardization of NAND flash is to make it easier to switch between NAND chips from different producers, thereby permitting faster development of NAND-based products and lower prices via increased competition among manufacturers. As of 2006, NAND flash is increasingly a commodity product, like SDRAM or 3.5 in (89 mm) hard disk drives. It is incorporated into many personal computer and consumer electronics products such as USB flash drives, MP3 players, and solid-state drives. Product designers would like 2 GiB and 4 GiB NAND flash chips, for example, to be as easily interchangeable as 60 GB and 80 GB 3.5 in hard disks from different manufacturers.
Read more about this topic: Open NAND Flash Interface Working Group
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