NAND overtakes NOR in flash memory

The religious war of flash memory--NAND or NOR--is a virtual dead heat, but NAND seems to have the upper hand, according to analysts surveys.

NAND shipments, the kind of flash memory used in memory cards and made by Samsung and Toshiba--came to $2.05 billion in the first quarter, according to iSuppli. That's a 16 percent increase from the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, shipments of NOR--used in phones and made by Intel and Spansion--came to 2.02 billion, an 11 percent decline. Semico came out with similar figures.

This marks the first time that NAND shipments have outpaced NOR. The big question, though, is which type will make the crossover first and most effectively. NAND makers are creating products to invade NOR markets while NOR companies are trying to go the opposite direction.