Sandisk and SK hynix Advance Global Standardization of High Bandwidth Flash with Release of First OCP Technical Specification

MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 3, 2026--

Sandisk Corporation (Nasdaq: SNDK) and SK hynix Inc. today announced the release of the HBF™ (High Bandwidth Flash) technical specification through the Open Compute Project (OCP), advancing the workstream to drive HBF standardization for the AI inference era, just six months after the consortium began work in February.

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The specification was developed through the HBF technology workstream under OCP, with Sandisk and SK hynix serving as primary contributors. Notably, Google and Tenstorrent joined as consortium members during this standardization process, contributing significantly to technology validation and the establishment of the standard. The specification provides companies and developers designing AI inference systems and accelerators with a common technical framework for incorporating HBF technology where larger, near-compute memory capacity and higher bandwidth are needed to improve power and performance metrics and help reduce total cost of ownership.

Modern AI inference systems need high-bandwidth memory positioned close to compute cores, while the demand for greater near-compute memory capacity continues to grow with the requirements of large language models and emerging AI workloads. HBF technology is designed to address this need by combining high bandwidth with high capacity, helping data center system designers improve interactivity and throughput during model serving.

“AI inference is creating a new set of memory requirements, and HBF technology is designed to meet that moment,” said Alper Ilkbahar, Chief Technology Officer, Sandisk. “This specification helps give system designers a practical path to bring high-capacity, high-bandwidth memory closer to compute, while enabling more flexible architectures. It is an important milestone for the HBF ecosystem and for the next generation of AI systems built to improve token economics at scale.”

The specification defines system interface, electrical and other technical guidelines for designing systems that interact with and use HBF technology, including basic performance expectations, the xPU-HBF host interface, reliability and packaging guidance for an HBF die stack, and a software user guide for read and write operations. As one of the first technical standards of its kind in the memory and storage industry, the specification helps give AI compute system designers added flexibility to build systems where HBF technology can coexist with High Bandwidth Memory, helping support ecosystem readiness.

The specification was released within the Open Compute Project framework, meaning the information is openly available to the industry. Sandisk and SK hynix proactively published the specification to position HBF technology as the de facto standard in the rapidly evolving AI storage market. Their strategy involves fostering an early-stage ecosystem, increasing the visibility of HBF technology’s adoption for customers, and accelerating market expansion and technological maturity through open collaboration and membership in the consortium.

Sandisk Keynote: NAND - The Versatile & Scalable Foundation of the AI Era

On Wednesday, August 5, at 11:40 a.m. PT, Sandisk’s keynote at The Future of Memory and Storage Conference (FMS) at the Santa Clara Convention Center will explore the importance of system-level optimization and NAND in enabling AI inference at scale. The keynote will feature Sandisk’s Jim Elliott, chief revenue officer; Khurram Ismail, chief product officer; and Alper Ilkbahar, chief technology officer.

FMS Panel Discussion: Breaking the Memory Wall with High Bandwidth Flash

On Thursday, August 6, at 9:45 a.m. PT, Sandisk, SK hynix, and Google will present a panel discussion hosted by Thomas Coughlin, President of Coughlin Associates, at The Future of Memory and Storage Conference (FMS) at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Conference Room D. The session will discuss how HBF technology aims to redefine the memory hierarchy by providing near-memory speeds with the density and persistence of high bandwidth flash. The panel will bring together experts from HBF solution providers as well as a Hyperscale-AI Infrastructure provider, to dissect the HBF technology usage and development needed for success, including Architectural Integration, Technical Challenges, Standardization timelines, performance and economics.

About Sandisk

Sandisk (Nasdaq: SNDK) delivers innovative Flash solutions and advanced memory technologies that meet people and businesses at the intersection of their aspirations and the moment, enabling them to keep moving and pushing possibility forward. Follow Sandisk on Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube. Join TeamSandisk on Instagram.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws, including, among others, statements regarding expectations for: the advancement of HBF standardization with the release of the first OCP technical specification; the impact of the HBF technical specification on HBF adoption in AI inference systems; and the capabilities, benefits and industry impact of HBF technology. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements.

Key risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include: adverse changes in global or regional economic conditions, including the impact of evolving trade policies, tariff regimes and trade wars; volatility in demand for Sandisk’s products; pricing trends and fluctuations in average selling prices; exposure to execution, financial and market risks due to long-term agreements; inflation; changes in interest rates and a potential economic recession; the impact of business and market conditions; the impact of competitive products and pricing; the development and introduction of products based on new technologies and management of technology transitions; risks associated with strategic initiatives, including restructurings, acquisitions, divestitures, cost saving measures and joint ventures; risks related to product defects; difficulties or delays in manufacturing or other supply chain disruptions; reliance on strategic relationships with key partners, including Kioxia Corporation; the attraction, retention and development of skilled management and technical talent; risks associated with the use of artificial intelligence in business operations; changes to relationships with key customers or consolidation among the customer base; compromise, damage or interruption from cybersecurity incidents or other data system security risks; reliance on intellectual property; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; actions by competitors; risks associated with compliance with changing legal and regulatory requirements; and other risks and uncertainties listed in Sandisk’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on August 21, 2025 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 1, 2026, to which your attention is directed. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and Sandisk undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new information or events, except as required by law.

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Sandisk Advances Global Standardization of High Bandwidth Flash Together with SK hynix with Release of First OCP Technical Specification

NEW YORK (AP) — General manager Brian Cashman said the Yankees had conversations with the Detroit Tigers about Tarik Skubal and the Baltimore Orioles about Adley Rutschman but could not find a match before Monday's trade deadline.

Instead, the Yankees found other ways to bolster their roster, adding outfielder Heliot Ramos in a three-player trade from the last-place San Francisco Giants a day after acquiring left-handed hitting Luis Garcia Jr. from the Washington Nationals for four pitchers.

Skubal went to the Dodgers on Sunday in a blockbuster for three prospects and Rutschman was sent to the Red Sox for a package that included three of Boston’s top prospects earlier Monday.

“We had many conversation with Baltimore but were unable to obviously meet the price,” Cashman said in a video conference after the trade deadline passed. “So they did their business elsewhere and we kept grinding through it, but ultimately in the end of the day, there was no opportunity that existed that we felt good enough about to be able to push through on.”

The Yankees had less of a need for Skubal since their rotation began Monday with a 3.46 ERA, but their catchers entered the series opener against the Cardinals hitting .188 with eight homers and 27 RBIs, 28th amongst the 30 teams.

“We talked to Detroit,” Cashman said. “They set a high price and to be honest that was not something we were unable to get them off of what they said might work, but at the same time they were communicating that it also might not even win the day and then they kind of went silent, I think after they got what they were looking for.”

Garcia was in the lineup at first base and batting third after hitting a career-high .283 in his first season as a full-time first baseman with Washington. Garcia’s average is the highest on the Yankees, who began Monday with a .232 average and hitting .219 in 53 games since losing captain Aaron Judge two months ago.

“I think it has been one of the keys to how the season has played out so far,” Garcia said Monday through a translator. “Before I used to hit the ball very well, but a lot of the times it was on the ground. So I think one of the focuses was to get the ball in the air and keep hitting it with the same intensity; but lift it up and better results have come.”

Besides the batting average, Garcia also joined the Yankees after hitting a career-high 23 homers and producing a career-best 78 RBIs. He was third in the big leagues with a .560 slugging percentage behind new teammate Ben Rice and Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez while also hitting .330 with runners in scoring position.

“As good a year as he’s having, leading the league in slugging percentage over there, we think there’s more in there potentially in our ballpark,” manager Aaron Boone said. “So it’s exciting. We needed to inject a presence in our order, and we think we’ve done that in a big way.”

Garcia appeared in 93 games at first base with the Nationals and will share time with Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt at first and as the designated hitter. He struggled defensively as a second baseman at times before moving over to first base full-time.

The 26-year-old Garcia was born in New York and said his favorite Yankees growing up were Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano. His father Luis Garcia Sr. appeared in eight games with the Tigers in 1999 and spent 10 seasons in the minor leagues from 1993 to 2002.

The Yankees needed another outfielder after losing Cody Bellinger to a strained left hamstring July 25, and Ramos batted .264 with nine homers and 34 RBIs in 74 games for the Giants. He also had an .835 OPS against left-handed pitching and slugged 43 homers in the previous two seasons.

“They have a lot of history,” Ramos said. “It’s obviously going to have a big place in my heart, but at the end of the day, I’m very happy to be a New York Yankee.”

The Yankees sent starting pitcher Henry LaLane and infielder Kaeden Kent to the Giants for Ramos, who is not eligible for free agency until 2030.

LaLane was recently promoted to Single-A Hudson Valley and was New York’s fifth-best prospect, according to MLB pipeline. Kent, the son of recently inducted Hall of Famer Jeff Kent, was batting .302 this season at Hudson Valley.

New York began Monday 27-26 since Judge last played May 31. The slugger is still awaiting another scan to determine when he can start baseball activities.

“It’s always possible that things don't go the way you want, but we currently are still very optimistic he’s going to return,” Cashman said about Judge.

The Yankees have been without Giancarlo Stanton since April 24 due to a strained right calf and lost Bellinger for four to six weeks when he was injured in Philadelphia.

“One of the first areas of need was to try and upgrade the offense in any way, shape or form in any way we can while waiting for important players to come back at the same time off the IL,” Cashman said.

To make room for Garcia, the Yankees optioned Max Schuemann to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre. New York also recalled reliever Kervin Castro from Triple-A to take the spot of Yovanny Cruz, who was sent to Washington for Garcia.

AP Freelance Reporter Jeff Miller contributed to this report

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Washington Nationals first baseman Luis García Jr., center, greets teammates in the dugout after he was scratched from the starting lineup before a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)