Ted, I believe AMD makes primarily embedded memory, and they may use SSTI products or incorporate them into their own products. Embedded memory might find some applications in digital cameras, but it seems that most camera manufacturers are interested in using one of four types of removable memory: Compact Flash, Secure Digital Memory Card, SmartMedia Card, or MemoryStick. Major competitors of SanDisk include Hitachi, Sony, Samsung, Lexar, and to a lesser extent Viking, Memorex, etc. SanDisk currently is involved with the Israeli company, Tower Semiconductor to make embedded flash, using Toshiba technology. SanDisk and Toshiba also have a joint venture in a factory in Virginia. The Tower Semi facility will produce embedded memory and will compete with AMD, SSTI, etc. While Toshiba makes some products that compete with SanDisk products, I think that this relationship between Toshiba and SanDisk is of mutual benefit.
If I had to pinpoint what appears to be the most significant competition, it would be from Samsung, which is building one of the largest fabrication facilities in the world for producing removable flash cards. However, it is more than likely that at least some Samsung products will be subject to licensing and royalty agreements with SanDisk.
Looking more broadly at the challenges SanDisk faces, I'd say number one is to find an application that is not consumer dependent. The health information cards are an example, but the competitors here include just about all other forms of storing health information. The challenge here is to get the approach being tested by SanDisk accepted within the industry. SanDisk is nowhere close to achieving this goal.
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