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Nobunaga Chai, DIGITIMES Research, Taipei [Friday 16 December 2011]
Since 2009, niche DRAM has been one of the rising stars in the memory sector, with bit growth soaring over 70% annually and outpacing standard DRAM growth. This Digitimes Special Report looks at the three major niche DRAM segments - mobile DRAM, specialty DRAM and graphics DRAM - with regard to applications, technology and market forecasts for 2012 and 2013.Technology roadmaps of the major memory makers, such as Samsung, Hynix, Elpida and Micron, as well as Taiwan makers such as Nanya, Etron, Winbond and Powerchip, are analyzed and compared. Abstract 
Since 2009, niche DRAM has been one of the rising stars in the memory sector, as well as the semiconductor industry in general, with growth soaring over 70% annually and outpacing standard DRAM's annual bit growth. Niche DRAM's outstanding performance has been fueled by strong growth in demand.
Hot sales of smartphones and tablet devices have made mobile DRAM the main driving force of the niche DRAM market. Significant demand has also been coming from other market segments. In first-quarter 2009 a quick recovery from the economic doldrums sent shipments of such end-market applications as GPS devices, HDDs and flat-panel TVs rising. Increases in shipments of these end-market devices boosted the niche DRAM market.
In 2010 the global economy was starting to slow down, but the niche DRAM market remained strong mainly because higher integration of functionalities in end-market applications made it more demanding for the devices' computing capabilities, which in turn boosted the amount of niche DRAM used in a single device.
DIGITIMES Research estimate that the global niche DRAM market will grow 59.4% on year to reach 509.8 million GB in 2011, and that such strong growth will continue in 2012-2013.
With niche DRAM growing much faster than PC-related DRAM, it is expected that the niche segment's share of the overall DRAM market will increase to 22% in 2011 from 16% in 2010.
The present report first looks at the three major niche DRAM segments - mobile DRAM, specialty DRAM and graphics DRAM - with regard to their applications and technological development.
Then it analyzes and compares the technological roadmaps of the major memory vendors, such as Samsung, Hynix, Elpida and Micron, for mobile DRAM, specialty DRAM and graphics DRAM. Taiwan-based players, such as Nanya, Etron, Winbond and Powerchip, are also studied in terms of their niche DRAM development. There is also an analysis and comparison of the process shrink roadmaps of Korean, Japanese and Taiwanese players.
The report also offers an analysis of the niche DRAM market, looking at the individual segments of mobile DRAM, specialty DRAM and graphics DRAM in 2011, and making predictions for 2012 and 2013.
Table of contents Types of niche DRAM Chart 1: Types of niche DRAM and applications Specialty DRAM Chart 2: Types of niche memory (I): specialty DRAM Mobile DRAM Chart 3: Types of niche memory (II): mobile DRAM Graphics DRAM Chart 4: Types of niche memory (III): graphics DRAM Differences between standard DRAM and niche DRAM Chart 5: Differences between standard DRAM and niche DRAM Niche DRAM technology developments Specialty DRAM Chart 6: Specialty DRAM product development in terms of device requirements (MB) Mobile DRAM Chart 7: Development of mobile DRAM technology Graphics DRAM Chart 8: Development of graphics DRAM technology, 2002-2013 (Gbps) Trends in IC package technology Chart 9: Transition from 2.5D to 3D will be the main trend in the development of niche memory Conclusion Chart 10: The development of niche memory technology in terms of the semiconductor industry chain Developments by major memory manufacturers Development of smaller manufacturing processes by major international manufacturers Chart 11: Major global DRAM manufacturers' development of process technology, 1Q10-4Q11 Mobile DRAM Chart 12: Major global memory manufacturers' development of mobile DRAM technology, 2007-2011 Specialty DRAM Chart 13: Major global memory manufacturers' development of specialty DRAM technology, 2007-2011 Graphics DRAM Chart 14: Major global memory manufacturers' development of graphics DRAM technology, 2007-2011 Taiwan-based memory manufacturers' development of niche memory technologies Nanya Technologies Chart 15: Nanya's development in the niche DRAM market Winbond Chart 16: Winbond's development in the niche DRAM market Powerchip Technology (PSC) Chart 17: Powerchip's development in the niche DRAM market Etron Technology Chart 18: Etron's development in the niche DRAM market Conclusion Chart 19: Taiwan-based manufacturers must redouble their efforts if they wish to seize a greater share of the niche memory market Analysis of 2011 niche DRAM market 2011 Chart 20: Breakdown of growth in niche DRAM demand during 2011 DRAM market Chart 21: Manufacturing and business processes for standard DRAM manufacturers Chart 22: Manufacturing and business processes for niche DRAM manufacturers Chart 23: The Apple iPad 2's DRAM has double the capacity and performance of the original iPad Chart 24: Amount of DRAM installed in HTC's main smartphone models, 2007-2011 Chart 25: DRAM installed in individual CE products, 2010-2011 (MB) Mobile DRAM demand in 2011 Chart 26: Smartphone mobile DRAM demand, 1Q10-4Q11 (GB) Chart 27: Feature phone mobile DRAM demand, 1Q10-4Q11 (GB) Chart 28: Tablet mobile DRAM demand, 1Q10-4Q11 (GB) Chart 29: Mobile DRAM demand, 1Q10-4Q11 (GB) Specialty DRAM demand in 2011 Chart 30: Specialty DRAM demand from the TV sector, 1Q10-4Q11 (GB) Chart 31: Specialty DRAM demand from the digital camera sector, 1Q10-4Q11 (GB) Chart 32: Specialty DRAM demand, 1Q10-4Q11 (GB) Graphics DRAM demand in 2011 Chart 33: Graphics DRAM demand from games consoles, 1Q10-4Q11 (GB) Chart 34: Graphics DRAM demand from graphics cards, 1Q10-4Q11 Chart 35: Graphics DRAM demand, 1Q10-4Q11 (GB) Niche DRAM demand in 2011 Chart 36: Niche memory demand, 1Q10-4Q11 (GB) Chart 37: Niche DRAM as a proportion of the overall DRAM market, 2010-2011 (GBm) Niche DRAM market 2012 forecast Mobile DRAM demand in 2012 Chart 38: Smartphone mobile DRAM demand, 2009-2013 (million GB) Chart 39: Feature phone mobile DRAM demand, 2009-2013 (million GB) Chart 40: Tablet mobile DRAM demand, 2009-2013 (million GB) Chart 41: Global mobile DRAM demand, 2009-2013 (million GB) Specialty DRAM demand in 2012 Chart 42: TV specialty DRAM demand, 2009-2013 (million GB) Chart 43: Digital camera specialty DRAM demand, 2009-2013 (million GB) Chart 44: Global specialty DRAM demand, 2009-2013 (million GB) Graphics DRAM demand in 2012 Chart 45: Games console graphics DRAM demand, 2009-2013 (million GB) Chart 46: Graphics DRAM demand from the graphics card sector, 2009-2013 (million GB) Chart 47: Global graphics DRAM demand, 2009-2013 (million GB) Niche DRAM demand in 2012 Chart 48: Global niche DRAM demand, 2009-2013 (million GB) Chart 49: Niche DRAM capacity will vastly outstrip demand in 2012
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