Jedec solid state technology association announced the publication of JESD220H and JESD223G, which define universal flash storage 5.0 and the UFS host controller interface 5.0 for next generation embedded storage. The new specifications are designed for mobile, automotive and computing systems that require high performance with low power draw, with universal flash storage 5.0 positioned to deliver faster data access and improved performance compared to the previous generation. The standards are introduced with an explicit goal of maintaining compatibility with universal flash storage 4.x hardware so that device makers can transition without sacrificing existing investments.
Universal flash storage is described as a high performance embedded storage technology with low power consumption, which makes it suitable for environments where energy efficiency is critical. Typical use cases highlighted include computing and mobile devices such as smartphones and wearables, where battery life constraints demand careful management of power budgets. By combining a high speed serial interface with an optimized protocol, the technology focuses on sustaining significant throughput while keeping overall system power use under control.
The role of universal flash storage extends beyond traditional mobile hardware into several growth areas in computing. The standard is being positioned as an increasingly important storage solution for generative artificial intelligence workloads that need fast, efficient access to data. It is also aimed at automotive applications, edge computing deployments and modern gaming consoles, all of which benefit from rapid data transfer and responsiveness under tight thermal and power limits. Jedec’s updated universal flash storage 5.0 and UFS host controller interface 5.0 specifications are intended to give hardware manufacturers a unified, interoperable framework for these diverse, performance sensitive markets.
