Sony Ericsson ditching Memory Stick Micro cards in favor of MicroSD

Sony Ericsson already tipped its hand by including nothing but plain old microSD in its recently announced Satio, Yari and Aino phones (not to mention the K850 even further back), but it looks like TrustedReviews has now gotten the official word straight from the source: SE is dropping Sony's own Memory Stick Micro format (or M2) in favor of the decidedly more standard microSD. While it's not clear if that'll be a clean break from here on out or not, Sony Ericsson Global Marketing Director Fortuné Alexander did say that the company is "moving in that direction," and at least a few more still unannounced handsets have apparently already made the switch. Next thing you know Sony will be dumping UMD. Oh wait.

[Antonio @ Jun 1st 2009 5:49PM]

they should've done this long time ago!!! lucky the PSP Go will have microSD slot

[Sharif @ Jun 1st 2009 5:57PM]

Uh according to the Engadget PSP Go article, it says it has a Memory Stick Micro slot.

[Najakwa @ Jun 1st 2009 5:58PM]

Will it? I heard that it had the Memory Stick Micro. I hope I am wrong. Not that I'd buy that ugly, no dual analog thing anyways.

[iono @ Jun 1st 2009 6:06PM]

i'm burying not because of the comment, but because of the distaste of Sony using Memory Stick Micro, when they could have easily used MicroSDHC :|

i've got a couple MSPD's w/ my PSP now, and a MicroSDHC-> MSPD for the flavors of MicroSDHC that I have (1gb->16gb), now what Sony?!

[solmar @ Jun 1st 2009 11:09PM]

I'm thinking that this is only a decision by Sony-Ericsson, since there have been several indications that it and Sony haven't been getting along. Normal Sony products, such as cameras, camcorders, the PSP, and others, are still using the memory stick standard, including the MS micro. For Sony itself to actually ditch memory stick would be... unthinkable.

But really, memory stick right now is the second dumbest format out there (the crown going to xD). About 10x the price, only usable in Sony products, manufactured by only a handful of companies, and limited in capacity. However, since pretty much all Sony products still use it, it's going to be with us for the foreseeable future, as Sony will "stick" with it.

[bhtooefr @ Jun 2nd 2009 1:48AM]

Actually, Sony's SLRs have SDHC support now, in addition to MS. So, they're migrating towards SD even for their own stuff.

[Bloo @ Jun 1st 2009 5:49PM]

Sony's smartest decision ever!

[bandigolo @ Jun 1st 2009 6:20PM]

Seriously. Probably the biggest deterrent for me vs. Sony products was their incessant use of proprietary memory.

[james @ Jun 1st 2009 7:37PM]

lol, and the rest!

[JohnTitor @ Jun 1st 2009 8:05PM]

just as smart as when they started using CompactFlash on their DSLRs

[Scarhawk @ Jun 1st 2009 11:46PM]

It's about frikkin time!!! Apple doesn't even put a memory expansion slot in the iPhone, they just sell so many phones that they can buy Flash at a huge discount and load up the base model. The profit margin Apple gets on the extra Flash memory in the upgrade model puts Sony's proprietary card formats to shame. On top of that, they take a 30% cut of the revenue to fill the memory with apps and music! Says a lot about Sony's inertia and arrogance that they haven't started trying to copy the Apple business model until now.

At least it suggests Sony is finally willing to move past their 1980's product model of sexy looking, slightly better hardware priced 30% above market average, with most profit margin coming from massively overpriced accessories. Today's massively overpriced accessories all come in downloadable form.

[Matthew C @ Jun 2nd 2009 12:54AM]

Yeah - All tech SD line UNITY --> uber SD line mass production --> hella low prices.

Please.

[Samboini @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:27AM]

Praise the Lord!

[feraligatr8 @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:49AM]

agreed.... and it's about time too

[Jonathon @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:12AM]

One of the deciding factors that I didn't get a Sony camera (a couple years ago)...already had several SD cards and didn't want to re-purchase storage.

[AJ in the East Bay @ Jun 1st 2009 5:51PM]

Excellent! Now if they could kill all other variations of Memory Stick, we'll be all set.

[darok3k @ Jun 1st 2009 6:02PM]

i agree. Sony is being smart in this one. If Sony get rid of the Sony Memory Stick, to replace it with the SD/microSD like almost all other brand, then I would continue my father's legacy of purchasing from Sony high-end products!

[Matthew C @ Jun 2nd 2009 12:57AM]

I'm imagining a day when there is no need for such a thing as a 74-card multi reader.

[BigD145 @ Jun 1st 2009 5:52PM]

Finally. There isn't much difference between them in the first place and most of the world has embraced SD's.

[ri @ Jun 1st 2009 5:54PM]

one shit-proprietary at a time... y'all.

but kudos.

[BChau @ Jun 1st 2009 5:54PM]

If Sony would do the same with their cameras, I would consider buying their cameras.

[Plothole @ Jun 1st 2009 7:31PM]

Well their latest dSLRs have a dual MSD-SD. I suspect it's only a matter of time before this filters down to the Cybershots.

[va jj @ Jun 1st 2009 5:55PM]

woot! cheap m2

[Aqua @ Jun 1st 2009 5:55PM]

As an AT&T CSR, my response is "thank god"

[Mitchel @ Jun 1st 2009 7:23PM]

Then count how many customers give you dirty looks when you try to sell them a memory card and have to explain why the one they've been using in their Sony Ericsson for years, wont work anymore.

I'm already getting the same thing as manufacturers have all started to switch to micro USB for their chargers and give me skeptical, untrusting looks as I try and explain why it's a good thing

[Aqua @ Jun 1st 2009 9:32PM]

That objection is not a problem, while AT&T carries SE phones, we frequently have not carried the memory cards that go in them, not in the stores, not on the website, and I've frequently had customer bitch and moan about how they can't move their files to SE phones like they can nearly every other phone in existence.

[giuliop @ Jun 1st 2009 5:55PM]

The 'Oh wait' link also says 'Memory Stick Micro slot'. Oh wait...?

[superhobo @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:26AM]

Oh wait. The sentence before it says "Next thing you know Sony will be dumping UMD."

Ah

[giuliop @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:16AM]

Oh wait. You can't even understand simple inferences.

Ah

[superhobo @ Jun 2nd 2009 1:01PM]

They meant to say "Next thing you know Sony will be dumping UMD. Oh wait, they already have."

At least that's what I inferred from it. If you have gleaned some hidden knowledge from their texts, please enlighten us.

[giuliop @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:01PM]

At this point, I shouldn't really be explaining this... but it is evident that you really need it, so here it is:

"Next thing you know Sony will be dumping UMD. Oh wait, they already have."

That's what they meant. And how did you infer that? Because the post says "No UMD drive". But the post also says "Memory Stick Micro slot". And using the same reasoning, what you infer from that is that they *aren't* dumping the Memory Stick, which basically goes *against* this post, so instead of reinforcing what they were saying (as they meant to do), it backfires and weakens the argument. Hence my "Oh wait".

Clear now? Can't make it clearer, sorry. This is simple logic.

[superhobo @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:21AM]

What I inferred from your last reply is that you are not a very good inferrer.

[giuliop @ Jun 3rd 2009 7:19AM]

Well, I said I shouldn't be explaining. You're simply hopeless...

[superhobo @ Jun 3rd 2009 7:31AM]

They never said it was a sure thing.

"While it's not clear if that'll be a clean break from here on out or not, Sony Ericsson Global Marketing Director Fortuné Alexander did say that the company is "moving in that direction," and at least a few more still unannounced handsets have apparently already made the switch."

Maybe you don't know that the entire article doesn't absolutely have to talk about just one thing?

[nico @ Jun 1st 2009 5:56PM]

good decision, add a 3.5mm headphone jack, and you'll at least have chances to win me back as a customer...

[Destricto_Ense @ Jun 1st 2009 5:58PM]

According to John Koller in the Qore vid, the PSP Go has a MemoryStick Micro slot. What gives? Maybe it is compatible with both. That would be rather excellent. Aren't Sony DSLRs dual-compatible?

[xtn @ Jun 1st 2009 6:02PM]

actually some SE cellphones are dual card capable like the Sony K850i

[BigD145 @ Jun 1st 2009 7:12PM]

I think only the pin arrangement is different.

[Eric @ Jun 1st 2009 7:32PM]

I imagine, though I'm hardly an expert, that the PSP Go uses Memory Stick still as a way of being compatible with original PSPs... maybe there isn't, but I assume there is some sort of adapter to go from Micro to Duo, like there was to go to from Duo to... non-Duo.

[digitallysick @ Jun 1st 2009 6:00PM]

yes they should have done this long ago. I can imagine it cuts down on manufacturing cost as well. Now if only we could get rid of the memory stick, and switch them to SD we would be getting somewhere

[Alan Partridge @ Jun 1st 2009 6:01PM]

Step by step consermers will always win. Now if we could just get Apple to use SOME form of external memory

[Jacob @ Jun 1st 2009 6:01PM]

Next stop: ditch Memory Stick completely.

[sam @ Jun 1st 2009 6:01PM]

now stop memory stick formats altogether and while you are at it get apple to stop with their displayport nonsense too then we can all use microsd, hdmi and sdhc and the newer sdhc version think its called sdxc or something.

[Chris Turpin @ Jun 1st 2009 6:32PM]

DisplayPort is a VESA standard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_DisplayPort

It's part of the DisplayPort 1.2 Standard. Do your research next time.

[bhtooefr @ Jun 2nd 2009 2:01AM]

Not only that, but DisplayPort is royalty free (unlike HDMI) and supports higher bandwidth than HDMI or DVI.

DisplayPort is a good thing.

There have been two things holding us back with higher resolution displays... resolution independence in operating systems ("the text is too small") and the display interconnection. Let's look at, say, WQUXGA. For a respectable refresh rate (48 Hz, and that's not even respectable, that's just the best that's ever been done, due to panel limitations) you need three DVI links, and they need to be genlocked together (the latter isn't common, although you can drive it at 25 Hz off of a single dual-link DVI port, if you've got the latest version of the IBM T221, the DG5. The DG3 can only work on single-link DVI, and needs four single-links, all from the same card, with software to make Windows treat it as one monitor, even though it's essentially four different monitors. Yeah, that's tricky.)

DisplayPort can do 3840x2400 at 50 Hz on a single link, IIRC.

[Kiteless @ Jun 1st 2009 6:03PM]

Sony, I love my 60GB PS3. It has standard memory slots on it. I would buy more of your products if you used standard memory in your other devices. Please put MisroSDHC in the PSP Go, I will buy it! Put SDHC in your Webby camcorder, and other devices. I will buy them! Please for the love of jebus, ditch memory stick!

[Dafrety @ Jun 1st 2009 6:07PM]

Thank goodness. Now if they would just get rid of the rest of their proprietary crap, we'd be all set.

[Down @ Jun 1st 2009 6:07PM]

Why is everyone so positive about this? This just means less competition in the flash memory card industry which usually leads to higher prices and less innovation/r&d. The road to the 1TB micro memory card has just lengthened vastly. With the MS Micro there was a lot of healthy, welcomed competition.

[Jacob @ Jun 1st 2009 6:18PM]

Bullshit. Sony was the only supporter of MS, and MS cards usually cost more than comparable SD cards. Competition within the SD space is still rigorous. You can still have competition within a single unified standard.

[Maddy @ Jun 1st 2009 7:05PM]

On the contrary, if MS format goes away, it would spur more competition in the flash memory market. The SD standard is good enough as it is and there is very strong competition in that as it is. Sandisk, Corsair, Trendnet, Kingston and many lesser known brands.

Now if Memory Stick format goes away, there is just one format left to compete in, SD. This would drive the costs down and increase the number of companies competing for the same market segment.

Wider standards adoption is always good for the consumers.