Semiconductor memory shortages are quietly reshaping the storage market, and Sony’s decision hints at bigger disruptions coming.
A deepening global memory shortage is now extending beyond SSDs and beginning to impact the memory card market. The ongoing supply crunch, driven by rising demand for semiconductor memory, has forced Sony Japan to temporarily halt orders for most of its SD and CFexpress memory cards.
On March 27, Sony Japan announced that it has suspended acceptance of new orders from distributors as well as customers purchasing through Sony Stores. The company cited continued supply constraints caused by the global semiconductor memory shortage, noting that demand for memory cards is expected to outpace supply for the foreseeable future.
The suspension affects nearly the entire memory card portfolio, including CFexpress Type A, CFexpress Type B, and SD card product lines. Several capacities across these formats have been impacted, particularly high-performance cards widely used in professional photography and video production.
Most premium offerings, including TOUGH-series memory cards and multiple high-capacity SD variants, are currently affected. Only a limited number of products remain in active production, meaning availability will largely depend on existing retail inventory.
Sony indicated that once current stock is exhausted, manufacturing may remain paused until supply conditions stabilise. The company has not announced a definite timeline for resuming order acceptance and said updates will be shared after reviewing the evolving supply situation.
The development underscores how the global memory shortage is reshaping the broader storage market. SSD prices have already risen sharply in recent months, and memory cards are now experiencing similar pressure.
Industry observers attribute the shortage largely to surging demand from AI data centres, which are consuming significant volumes of DRAM and NAND flash memory. This has tightened component availability for consumer storage manufacturers, leading to higher prices and reduced product availability.
As a result, customers may face limited supply and elevated prices for storage products until semiconductor production catches up with global demand.
