IDC: SSDs to Go Mainstream

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- Once relegated to high-end niche applications, solid state drives (SSDs) are poised to go mainstream as advances in solid state memory technology and dipping price points drive worldwide SSD adoption. According to new research from IDC, performance and mobility-related requirements will propel SSD revenues from $373 million in 2006 to $5.4 billion in 2011, a healthy 71% CAGR.

Solid state drives compliment hard disk drives, particularly in areas not well served by hard disk drives (HDDs). "For many years SSDs have sat on the fringe of the digital universe, but a tremendous opportunity is ahead for SSD storage," said Jeff Janukowicz, research manager, Solid State Drives. "Today, SSDs are about delivering a premium solution. In the future, SSDs will be about delivering the right solution to the right market as technology advances and requirements converge."

Going forward, the PC market presents the greatest opportunity for SSD demand. The PC market is transitioning from one dominated by desktop PC shipments to notebook PC shipments. This transition increases the importance of mobility and durability requirements, dynamics that align very well with the benefits of SSDs.

IDC