With market share averaging in the stratospheric 85 to 90 percent range, Double Data Rate 3 (DDR3) modules will remain the dominant technology in the dynamic access random memory (DRAM) market for 2011 and at least three more years before it cedes ground to a faster, next-generation version, according to new IHS iSuppli research.
DDR3 in 2011 is projected to account for 89 percent of the 808 million DRAM module units shipped this year, up from 67 percent last year and 24 percent in 2009. In comparison, the older and slower DDR2 will make up 9 percent of the module market in 2011, down from 29 percent last year. The legacy-type product of DDR will take up the remaining module shipments in the market.
The technology has progressively advanced over the years. In 2009, DDR2 held more market share than DDR3, 69% to 24%. This year, DDR3 will hold about 89% while DDR2 will shrink to 9%. However, by 2015, DDR3 will be displaced by DDR4 at 56% to 42%. As the adoption changes, so is the density of the RAM sets.
Double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM) is a class of memory integrated circuits used in computers. DDR SDRAM (sometimes referred to as DDR1 SDRAM) has been superseded by DDR2 SDRAM and DDR3 SDRAM, neither of which are either forward or backward compatible with DDR SDRAM, meaning that DDR2 or DDR3 memory modules will not work in DDR equipped motherboards, and vice versa. (wikipedia)