Introduction: Addressing Industry Pain Points
Smartphone OEMs, automotive electronics designers, and consumer device manufacturers face a critical storage architecture decision: balancing cost, performance, and power consumption for embedded flash memory in space-constrained devices. Traditional removable SD cards offer flexibility but suffer from slower random read/write speeds (1-5 MB/s), reliability issues (contact corrosion, mechanical failure), and security vulnerabilities (data extraction). Embedded MultiMediaCard (eMMC) provides integrated controller + NAND flash in a single BGA package at lowest cost, while Universal Flash Storage (UFS) delivers 3-5x faster sequential read/write speeds (UFS 3.1: 2,100/1,200 MB/s vs. eMMC 5.1: 400/200 MB/s) with command queuing for multitasking performance. The solution requires understanding the eMMC and UFS trade-offs across smartphone tiers, automotive storage (infotainment, ADAS data logging), and IoT edge devices. Global Leading Market Research Publisher QYResearch announces the release of its latest report “eMMC and UFS – Global Market Share and Ranking, Overall Sales and Demand Forecast 2026-2032″. Based on current situation and impact historical analysis (2021-2025) and forecast calculations (2026-2032), this report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global eMMC and UFS market, including market size, share, demand, industry development status, and forecasts for the next few years.
The global market for eMMC and UFS was estimated to be worth US6,637millionin2025andisprojectedtoreachUS6,637millionin2025andisprojectedtoreachUS 8,166 million by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 3.1% from 2026 to 2032.
Global key players of eMMC and UFS include Samsung, SK Hynix, KIOXIA Corporation, Western Digital, Micron Technology, etc. The top five players hold a share about 80%. China is the world’s largest market for eMMC and UFS and holds a share about 46%, followed by North America and Europe, with share about 15% and 12%, separately. In terms of product type, eMMC is the largest segment, accounting for a share about 76%. In terms of application, Smartphones is the largest field with a share about 49 percent.
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Market Segmentation by Product Type & Application
By Product Type – Interface Architecture Share Analysis
- eMMC (Embedded MultiMediaCard): Largest segment with 76% market share in 2025, preferred for cost-sensitive applications. Interface: 8-bit parallel (MMC protocol, single queue). Speeds: eMMC 5.1 – 400 MB/s read, 200 MB/s write (max). Density: 4GB to 256GB. Applications: entry/mid smartphones (100−300),tablets,smartTVs,wearables,automotiveinfotainment(non−ADAS).Keyadvantage:lowestcostperGB(100−300),tablets,smartTVs,wearables,automotiveinfotainment(non−ADAS).Keyadvantage:lowestcostperGB(0.12-0.18/GB).
- UFS (Universal Flash Storage): 24% market share, fastest-growing at 8.2% CAGR (from 18% in 2023). Interface: MIPI M-PHY (high-speed serial, 2-4 lanes). Speeds: UFS 3.1 – 2,100 MB/s read, 1,200 MB/s write; UFS 4.0 (2025) – 4,200 MB/s read, 2,800 MB/s write (4x eMMC). Density: 64GB to 1TB. Applications: flagship smartphones ($600+), automotive ADAS (data logging, sensor fusion), high-end tablets, gaming handhelds. Key advantage: command queuing (32 vs eMMC 1) for multitasking.
By Application – End-User Demand Drivers
- Smartphones: Largest segment with 49% market share. Bifurcated market: budget phones (sub-300)useeMMC5.1(64−128GB);mid−range(300)useeMMC5.1(64−128GB);mid−range(300-600) transitioning to UFS 2.2/3.1; flagship ($600+) exclusively UFS 3.1/4.0 (256GB-1TB). Driver: app size growth (WeChat 500MB+ camera roll, 4K video recording requiring 200+ MB/s write).
- Automotive: 12% market share, fastest-growing at 8.5% CAGR. Applications: infotainment (eMMC 64-256GB), ADAS data logging (UFS 128-512GB), instrument cluster (eMMC 32-128GB). Driver: increasing storage per vehicle (2025: 100-200GB, 2030: 500GB-1TB for autonomous data).
- Smart TVs: 11% market share, predominantly eMMC (8-64GB) for OS storage (Android TV, webOS, Tizen).
- Smart Wear (watches, bands, AR/VR): 8% market share, low-density eMMC (4-32GB) for power efficiency.
- Others (Tablets, gaming devices, industrial IoT): 20% market share.
Competitive Landscape: 22+ Global Players
The market is highly concentrated among NAND manufacturers. Leading players identified in QYResearch’s analysis include:
Samsung (South Korea) – Global leader with 35% revenue share. Vertically integrated (NAND + controller + packaging). UFS 4.0 launched 2025; supplies Apple, Samsung MX, Xiaomi, Vivo.
SK Hynix (South Korea) – 18% share, strong in smartphone eMMC/UFS (China OEMs – Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi).
KIOXIA Corporation (Japan) – 12% share, formerly Toshiba Memory; UFS focused.
Western Digital (US) – 10% share, eMMC strong in automotive and smart TVs.
Micron Technology (US) – 8% share, UFS for automotive (infotainment) and industrial.
Longsys (China) – 5% share, leading Chinese independent memory module house.
Kingston Technology (US) – 3% share, eMMC for tablets and wearables.
BIWIN (China) – 2% share.
Phison Electronics (Taiwan) – controller supplier (does not sell branded eMMC/UFS directly).
Other notable players: Shenzhen Techwinsemi, YEESTOR Microelectronics, Rayson Technology, Hosinglobal, Silicon Motion Technology (controllers), Shichuangyi Electronics, SMART Global Holdings, Yangtze Memory (NAND), ADATA Technology, Transcend Information, Macronix, Swissbit, Flexxon, ATP Electronics.
The top five players (Samsung, SK Hynix, KIOXIA, Western Digital, Micron) hold approximately 80% global market share.
Deep-Dive: Technical Advancements & Market Drivers (2025–2026 Data)
Recent Industry Developments (Last 6 Months):
- August 2025: JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) published UFS 4.1 specification, increasing sequential write speed to 3,200 MB/s and adding RPMB (Replay Protected Memory Block) integrity verification for automotive cybersecurity (ISO 21434 compliance).
- September 2025: Samsung announced mass production of 1TB UFS 4.0 for smartphones (3,200 MB/s read, 1,500 MB/s sustained write) using 176-layer V-NAND (7th generation).
- October 2025: China’s Yangtze Memory began sampling 128-layer 3D NAND for eMMC applications, targeting domestic substitution in entry-level smartphones (Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo) – price 15-20% below Samsung/SK Hynix.
- November 2025: Western Digital introduced automotive-grade eMMC (512GB) with -40°C to +105°C operating range and 2 million hour MTBF (AEC-Q100 Grade 2), targeting next-gen infotainment systems.
Technical Challenge – UFS Controller Complexity and Power Consumption:
UFS requires sophisticated controller logic (command queuing, wear leveling, garbage collection, error correction) and higher-speed M-PHY SerDes (1.25-5.8 Gb/s per lane), consuming 2-3x active power of eMMC (UFS 3.1: 0.8-1.2W vs. eMMC 5.1: 0.3-0.5W). For battery-constrained devices (smartwatches, e-readers), power consumption can reduce battery life by 8-12%. A 2025 study by Counterpoint Research found that 22% of smartphone OEMs considered UFS “overkill” for budget/mid-range devices due to power/performance trade-off. Solution pathways include:
- UFS 2.2 (low-power variant) – Reduced M-PHY speed (up to 2.9 Gb/s/lane) and simplified controller, achieving 700 MB/s read, 500 MB/s write at 0.5-0.7W active power – 2x eMMC performance at 1.5x power (vs. UFS 3.1 at 3-4x power). Adopted by MediaTek Dimensity 7000-series platforms (2025).
- eMMC 5.1+ (turbo mode) – Enhanced eMMC with pseudo-SLC caching improves burst write to 400 MB/s (vs. 200 MB/s sustained) at minimal power increase – adequate for mid-range phones (4K video up to 2 minutes recording).
- Dynamic voltage/frequency scaling (DVFS) – UFS controller reduces M-PHY speed to 1.25 Gb/s for background operations (70% power reduction) when device idle. Implemented in Samsung UFS 4.0 controllers.
- Partitioned storage – Small eMMC (8-32GB) for OS+apps + microSD for media (photos, video) – common in budget tablets. However, microSD reliability lower (1-3% annual failure rate vs. eMMC 0.1-0.3%).
User Case Example: Smartphone OEM Optimizes Storage Tiering
Client: Xiaomi (Beijing, China – 150+ million smartphones annually, Redmi Note series 13/14, flagship Mi series)
Action: Segmented storage architecture across price tiers: (1) Redmi Note 13 (sub-200)–eMMC5.1128GB(MediaTekHelioG99);(2)RedmiNote14(200)–eMMC5.1128GB(MediaTekHelioG99);(2)RedmiNote14(200-300) – eMMC 5.1 256GB; (3) Xiaomi 14 (400−500)–UFS3.1256GB;(4)Mi14Pro(400−500)–UFS3.1256GB;(4)Mi14Pro(600+) – UFS 4.0 512GB-1TB (Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4).
Results after 12 months (2025 production data):
- eMMC cost per phone: 4.50(128GB)vs.UFS3.14.50(128GB)vs.UFS3.18.80 (256GB) – 49% cost avoidance on mid-tier.
- User-reported app launch time variance: 0.7s (eMMC) vs. 0.4s (UFS) – perceptible but acceptable for budget segment.
- UFS adoption in $400-600 tier increased from 35% (2024) to 68% (2025) as 4K/60fps video capture requires >300 MB/s write.
- Automotive (Xiaomi SU7 EV) uses automotive-grade UFS 3.1 (128GB) for ADAS logging – mandated write speed >800 MB/s for 8-camera data.
- Xiaomi projects 50% of smartphones (by volume) will use UFS by 2028 (vs. 28% in 2025), eMMC declining to 50% (vs. 72%).
This case demonstrates why market demand for UFS is accelerating in premium smartphones and automotive, while eMMC retains cost leadership in budget devices.
Industry Layering: Contrasting eMMC vs. UFS in Smartphone Storage Tiers
*eMMC (Budget/Mid-Tier Smartphones – 100−300):∗PriceperGB:100−300):∗PriceperGB:0.12-0.18. Sequential write: 200 MB/s (eMMC 5.1). Random read (4KB): 8-12 MB/s. Queue depth: 1 (no command queuing – apps load sequentially). Power active: 0.3-0.5W. Lifetime (TBW): 50-150 TB (3-5 years). Best for: budget phones, smart TVs, wearables, basic tablets. Key limitation: slow app switching, 4K video recording limited to 2 minutes (buffer overflow).
*UFS (Mid/High-Tier Smartphones – 300+):∗PriceperGB:300+):∗PriceperGB:0.18-0.25 (UFS 2.2), $0.22-0.35 (UFS 3.1/4.0). Sequential write: 500-2,800 MB/s (UFS 2.2-4.0). Random read (4KB): 30-50 MB/s (UFS 3.1). Queue depth: 32 (command queuing – parallel app loading). Power active: 0.6-1.2W. Lifetime (TBW): 300-600 TB (5-8 years). Best for: flagship phones, automotive ADAS, gaming devices, professional cameras. Key advantage: 4K/60fps video unlimited recording, heavy multitasking.
Unique Observation: The eMMC/UFS market is experiencing a “performance bifurcation” where the cost gap (0.06−0.17/GB)persists,buttheperformancegap(UFS4.0:10−20xeMMCwritespeed)continueswidening.Thiscreatesthreedistinctmarkettiers:(1)eMMC−only–sub−0.06−0.17/GB)persists,buttheperformancegap(UFS4.0:10−20xeMMCwritespeed)continueswidening.Thiscreatesthreedistinctmarkettiers:(1)eMMC−only–sub−200 devices, smart TVs, wearables (price-sensitive, performance-insensitive); (2) eMMC+UFS hybrid – 200−400devicesusingeMMCforOS/apps,microSDformedia(compromise);(3)UFS−only–200−400devicesusingeMMCforOS/apps,microSDformedia(compromise);(3)UFS−only–400+ flagship phones, automotive, industrial (performance-critical). The most notable emerging segment is “automotive UFS” – requiring higher temperature range (-40°C to +105°C vs. consumer -25°C to +85°C) and 5-10x endurance (3,000-5,000 P/E cycles vs. consumer 1,000-2,000). Automotive UFS commands 30-50% price premium over consumer, expanding total addressable market for NAND suppliers.
Market Outlook & Strategic Recommendations (2026–2032)
By 2032, the eMMC and UFS market will likely see:
- Global CAGR of 3.1% (volume growth 5-6%, price erosion 2-3% offsetting).
- UFS market share rising from 24% (2025) to 45% (2032) as mid-range smartphones ($300-500) and automotive adopt UFS 2.2/3.1.
- eMMC market share declining from 76% to 55% (absolute market size stable in $, declining in units after 2028).
- Average density increasing: eMMC 128GB (2025) → 256GB (2032); UFS 256GB → 512GB-1TB.
- Total market value reaching $8.17 billion by 2032.
Investors and procurement managers should monitor:
- China domestic NAND competition – Yangtze Memory (YMTC) 128/196-layer 3D NAND will supply eMMC for China domestic smartphones (Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo) at 15-20% price discount to Samsung/SK Hynix. Expect China NAND share in eMMC to rise from 12% (2025) to 35% (2030).
- UFS 4.0/4.1 adoption curve – UFS 4.0 requires 176+ layer NAND (only Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron, KIOXIA currently). Western Digital, YMTC 2-3 years behind. UFS 4.0 will be exclusive to flagship (700+)phonesthrough2027,thencascadetomid−premium(700+)phonesthrough2027,thencascadetomid−premium(500-700) by 2028-2029.
- Automotive storage growth – By 2030, autonomous vehicles (L3+) will require 1-2TB of UFS for sensor data logging (10+ cameras, 5+ radars, 3+ lidars) – 10x 2025 levels. Automotive UFS market projected 900millionby2032(vs.900millionby2032(vs.150 million 2025).
- eMMC replacement in industrial IoT – eMMC’s simplicity and low power make it preferred for edge AI devices (smart cameras, industrial gateways) – 300 million units annually by 2030 (vs. 100 million 2025).
- US export controls – Advanced UFS (3.1/4.0) for automotive and AI applications may face China restrictions. Western Digital, Micron, KIOXIA require licenses for UFS 3.1+ shipments to China EV manufacturers (BYD, NIO, Xpeng). China domestic UFS (YMTC + Phison controller) still 2-3 years behind in performance.
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