Hard drives are out and flash is in when it comes to the computers of the future, with the current boom in solid-state memory only just beginning, according to the world's largest maker of flash memory.
'Flash will totally replace hard-disk drives in notebook PCs in a few years,' said Hwang Chang-gyu, chief executive and president of Samsung's chip business.
Earlier this month, Samsung announced a solid-state nand flash hard disk with a 16-gigabyte capacity that draws 5 per cent of the power of a standard hard disk and is half the weight.
The product is being aimed at notebooks and tablet PCs.
As the head of the world's largest flash memory maker, and the world's second-largest chip company overall, Mr Hwang would be expected to talk up business.
The company's expanding chip business has been helped by its early decision to develop nand flash, instead of the rival NOR flash technology.
Nand is considered a superior technology for storage in devices such as digital cameras and MP3 players.