Spencer Chin

EE Times

(03/14/2005 4:02 PM EST)

MANHASSET, N.Y. — SanDisk Corp. and NDS Group plc said Monday (March 14) they would partner long-term on an end-to-end solution to deliver high value video/audio content into SanDisk`s next generation of secure flash storage cards for mobile devices.

The partnership, announced at CTIA Wireless in New Orleans, would enable mobile network operators, service and content providers to protect their content property rights and ensure that consumers gain access to premium content, such as pay-per-view movies, video clips, digital images, video games, ringtones, realtones, and MP3 music tracks on their mobile phone or portable device.

SanDisk (Sunnyvale, Calif.) plans to integrate the mVideoGuard Mobile DRM technology from NDS (Middlesex, U.K.) directly into its flash memory cards used in a growing range of mobile phones. mVideoGuard fully complies with the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) DRM (Digital Rights Management) standard and lets service providers and mobile network operators offer revenue-enhancing business opportunities such as content subscriptions, single purchase, pay-per-time, pay-per-level, gifting, free preview, pay-per-use and metering functions.

The global market for mobile phones with card slots is slated to grow from 87 million in 2004 to 164 million in 2005. Industry sources indicate that more than 200 new models of mobile handsets to be introduced in 2005 will have a slot for flash storage cards.

SanDisk will sample the new flash cards with NDS mVideoGuard Mobile DRM technology in the third quarter and plans to begin production the fourth quarter. Pricing will be announced at that time.