On Sunday night Samsung Electronics announced that it developed the industry's first 8 gigabit (Gb), low power double data rate 4 (LPDDR4) mobile DRAM. Fabricated using 20 nm class process technology, the new chip now makes possible 1 Gigabyte (GB) on a single die. Four 8 gigabit chips create one 4 GB LPDDR4 package.

"This next-generation LPDDR4 DRAM will contribute significantly to faster growth of the global mobile DRAM market, which will soon comprise the largest share of the entire DRAM market," said Young-Hyun Jun, executive vice president, memory sales & marketing, Samsung Electronics.

Samsung says the new 8 Gb chip uses a Low Voltage Swing Terminated Logic (LVSTL) I/O interface, allowing the chip to transfer data at 3200 megabits per second (Mbps) per pin. That's twice the amount the 20nm-class LPDDR3 DRAM can achieve, which is now in mass production. The new chip also consumes around 40 percent less energy at 1.1 volts.

"With the new chip, Samsung will focus on the premium mobile market including large screen UHD smartphones, tablets and ultra-slim notebooks that offer four times the resolution of full-HD imaging, and also on high-performance network systems," the company announced on Sunday.

News of the 8 Gb chip arrives after Samsung began mass producing 3 GB LPDDR3 mobile DRAM modules back in July. The 3 GB module uses six 20 nm class 4 Gb LPDDR3 chips in a symmetrical structure of two sets of three chips stacked in a single package only 0.8 millimeters high. The module is capable of data transfer speeds of up to 2,133 Mbps per pin.

"We will continue introducing the most advanced mobile DRAM one step ahead of the rest of the industry so that global OEMs can launch innovative mobile devices with exceptional user convenience in the timeliest manner," Young-Hyun Jun added.