Sony temporarily suspends orders for most memory cards
What's the story
Sony has announced a temporary halt on orders for most of its CFexpress and SD memory card products. The affected range includes CFexpress Type A, Type B, and SDXC/SDHC cards. However, some models of Type B and low-end SF-UZ series SD cards are still being manufactured, according to PetaPixel. You might still find them in stores until the current stock runs out.
Reasoning
Sony Japan posts halt announcement online
The decision to halt orders was announced on Sony Japan's website and individual product pages in its online store. The company cited the ongoing shortage of solid-state memory as a major reason for this move. Other factors, such as a potential helium shortage due to the war in Iran, may also be contributing to this situation.
Supply chain disruption
Sony expects continued memory supply shortfall
The global semiconductor shortage has also affected the supply of CFexpress and SD memory cards. Sony Japan's website stated, "CFexpress memory cards and SD memory cards are expected to continue to be unable to supply demand for the time being due to the impact of the global semiconductor shortage." The company plans to resume order acceptance once it monitors the supply situation.
Price hike
Memory card prices have tripled
The global storage shortage has also affected memory card prices, which have tripled in recent months. This is mainly due to AI data centers consuming a large amount of DRAM and NAND flash memory, leaving manufacturers like Sony struggling for stock. The suspension of orders affects almost all of Sony's memory card lineups, including high-end cards like the 64GB, 128GB, 256GB TOUGH brand cards and lower-end plainly branded cards capped at V60.