Samsung to Exit MLC NAND Business, Orders to End in June

Samsung is reportedly preparing to exit the Multi-Level Cell (MLC) NAND flash memory market in the near future. According to industry sources, the company is expected to stop accepting orders for MLC NAND chips starting next month.

Insiders revealed that Samsung has already informed at least one customer of a price increase for MLC NAND products, prompting the customer to begin sourcing alternatives. LG Display, a major player in the OLED panel segment, is also said to be seeking a new MLC NAND solution to replace Samsung's chips. LG Display has been using Samsung's MLC NAND in its 4GB embedded MultiMediaCard (eMMC) storage for large-size OLED panels.

In addition to Samsung, LG Display has utilized eMMC solutions from ESMT and Kioxia. Notably, ESMT's eMMC relies on Samsung’s MLC NAND, while Kioxia supplies eMMC built with its own MLC NAND technology.

With the phase-out of MLC NAND, Samsung is expected to realign its resources toward the development and production of Triple-Level Cell (TLC) and Quad-Level Cell (QLC) NAND products. TLC currently dominates the global NAND flash market, accounting for approximately 62% of total sales revenue, according to data from Mordor Intelligence.

This strategic shift reflects the broader industry trend toward higher-density NAND solutions that offer improved storage efficiency and cost-performance for modern electronic applications.