64Mbit 1.2V NOR flash targets wearables
Winbond Electronics has launched a 64Mbit NOR flash with an SPI interface for the latest smart wearable and mobile devices.
The W25Q64NE is a 1.2V SpiFlash NOR flash memory with active mode power savings as well as the large code storage. Larger densities are needed with the increasing adoption of over-the-air (OTA) updates.
Winbond was the first Flash memory manufacturer to introduce a 1.2V SPI NOR Flash device, which operates over an extended 1.14V-1.6V supply-voltage range for compatibility with a single alkaline AA battery cell’s output-voltage.
The Winbond 1.2V parts reduce active mode power consumption by a third compared to equivalent 1.8V devices. Typically, 99% of total power consumption in mobile and wearable devices is in active mode, so using systems with very small batteries such as True Wireless earbuds or fitness wristbands can extend run-time between battery charges.
In active Read mode at an operating frequency of 50MHz, a 1.8V SpiFlash part’s operating current of 4mA results in power consumption of 7.2mW. Operating at 1.2V and drawing the same Read mode current of 4mA at 50MHz, the W25Q64NE’s power consumption is just 4.8mW, providing a 33% power saving.
The 1.2V Flash also connects directly to the latest system-on-chip devices that also operate at 1.2V, avoiding the need for a level shifter and so reducing the BOM cost and PCB space. The SPI NOR interface has a maximum data transfer rate of 42MB/s and the device includes 4KB sectors with uniform sector and block Erase.
“Battery run-time has become a crucial differentiating factor in consumer purchase decisions for new product types such as wireless earbuds and smartwatches. This means that the new W25Q64NE gives manufacturers of these devices an instant way to add value to their products,” said the company.
The new W25Q64NE is available for sampling and offer small package size like USON8-3×4 and WLCSP in industry-standard packages and pin-outs.
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