Toshiba Launches 48-Layer BiCS 3D NAND Flash memory

#5039067 Posted on: 03/27/2015 03:28 PM

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I just wonder which other technologies are being held back. And I think DX12 was one them

#5039090 Posted on: 03/27/2015 04:10 PM

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If there is competition, and in the case of flash memory there is, companies gain nothing by holding back technologies. If you have something that gives you 'the jump' on a competitor by say, a year, you would definitely take it to the market as soon as possible. If you are all working on newer technologies a competitor bringing out a new type of product that's attractive to the market (like 3D stacked memory), the you would push ahead with bringing the product to the market yourself. Remember 3D stacked memory has been around a little while in the form of the Samsung 850 Pro, and the knowledge that Samsung was going to bring out this drive was around for several months before it was actually released. Therefore, the knowledge of such a drive has existed for well over a year, in technology terms that's quite a long time!

This is why competition is important, it pushes technology forwards. If you look at instances where there is no real perceived competition, that's where technology can be held back. In regards to Microsoft and DirectX 12, that is a different scenario. DirectX 12 wasn't held back, it simply wasn't considered. They saw having the concept of DirectX 12 on PC as a direct competition to their console gaming business, even though DirectX 12 helps out the console as well. I say concept, because it wasn't DirectX 12 that was held back, but the concept behind it. What pushed them forward was Mantle, they didn't want to be left with an inferior API. On top of this, they also wanted to reinvigorate the PC gaming market as it will only benefit the company in doing so.

Don't forget that DirectX 12 borrows from Mantle. If they had to develop DirectX 12 from the ground up, from the same point in time, it would no where be ready yet. The competition in this regard isn't Mantle, but what is effectively Mantle 2.0 (OpenGL Vulkan). Now, which company uses an OpenGL based solution for their consoles... (Sony!). So, it's in Microsoft's best interest to push forward with DirectX 12 to get the jump on Sony, and not be left behind. By having DirectX 12 on PC and their consoles, it not only entices people to shift to Windows 10, and helps keep people in PC gaming instead of buying a PS4 and an Android/iPad tablet, but they also benefit their consoles through making development for game developers more attractive between Xbox One and PC. Basically, cross platform development becomes easier between the two, and the PS4 becomes the outcast.

Microsoft is one of the few companies in the world that actually supports older models (OS's) so well. If they were most other companies, they would have already dropped support for Windows 7 and drop support for Windows 8.1 shortly after Windows 10 is released. Even on this forum, there are people saying they will stick with Windows 7, despite Windows 10 being a free upgrade, because they think that Windows 10 is really no different to Windows 7. The world revolves around them, they expect DirectX 12 to be backported etc (which would be a very complex task as you would have to replace the WDDM of Windows 7 with that of Windows 10). It would make absolutely no sense. It would be like Toshiba or some other company saying they'll replace the guts of your 3 year old SSD with 3D stacked memory, because for some reason it's your right as a consumer.

Unfortunately people are stubborn and can be stuck in the past, they can have an overwhelming fear and dread of change (even though they can't admit it), but expect to get the benefits of that change regardless (like sticking with Windows 7 despite Windows 10 being free). This is the other challenge that companies have in the face of new technologies. They may have to 'sit' on some ideas purely because they perceive that there won't be the market acceptance in place for that product. If Toshiba were the first to even mention 3D stacked memory, the conversation people would be having would be a different one. They would be commenting on how they wouldn't buy it because they don't trust it. They trust it now since the knowledge of such products already exist, through products released by a company that people have 'automatic trust' for.

If Volkswagen, BMW, or Mercedes were to bring out a revolutionary engine tech, then people would automatically perceive it as a good thing through brand association. If Tata, or even Chrysler, GM, Ford, Suzuki etc were to bring out the same technology, through brand association people may not perceive it as a good thing in the same way. Samsung have the clout of BMW etc, Toshiba don't. So yes, Toshiba may have been sitting on the technology for a while, but this just means they have had more time to develop it. Hence, you have 48 layer instead of say, just 24 layer.