Toshiba eyes faster chips to win in iPhone era

Japan's Toshiba said on Wednesday it will match rival Samsung Electronics' March launch of the industry's first 2GB NAND flash chip by mass-producing a chip with as much storage a month later.

Toshiba, the world's second-largest NAND chip maker after Samsung, is eyeing an expected a surge in demand propelled by Apple's music-playing iPhone, analysts said.

The iPhone--which will come with 4GB or 8GB of NAND--has fueled hope among flash memory makers who have become weary of price falls eating away at profit margins, said Mizuho Investors Securities analyst Yuichi Ishida.

"The iPhone is testament that price falls are giving birth to new applications and new NAND demand," Ishida said.

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