Not a flash in the pan?

Research group Gartner expect the 2011 market for worldwide ICs to decline slightly compared with 2010. Demand for DRAM memory being impacted by the reduced demand for PCs. However the growing demand for smartphones and iPads is fuelling the 20% growth for NAND flash memory devices. A week following the Gartner report, Samsung announced the operation of the world's largest NAND flash memory line. Located in Korea and housed in a twelve story building, Samsung started construction in May last year and the operating line is capable of producing over 10,000 12-inch wafers per month.