Memory chip maker Spansion has announced a Flash architecture that it said can boost performance, cut the cost of phone handsets and extend their battery life. The technology could displace current Flash memory designs within a few years.

Called MirrorBit Eclipse, the architecture combines the attributes of Nand and Nor Flash memory types, enabling one Eclipse chip to replace both in handset designs. Sample MirrorBit Eclipse chips are coming in the third quarter of 2007, with mass production and the first handsets using the chips due in 2008.

Nor Flash is widely used in handsets because code can run directly from the chip, a feature called execute-in-place (XIP). Nand Flash offers higher storage density, but code cannot be executed directly and must be copied into RAM, so handsets need more memory and cost more. It is mostly seen in high-end smartphones.

MirrorBit Eclipse combines the benefits of both, according to Spansion head of product definition, Patrick Le Bihan. “It keeps the Nor XIP capability, but adds the fast write speed of Nand,” he said.

Combined with Spansion’s Mirrorbit technology, which stores more than one bit per cell, a single Eclipse Flash chip can be used for both code execution and data storage, eliminating the need to copy code into RAM.

“Copying takes a long time, which is why when you switch on a smartphone, it takes a while to start up before you can make a call,” Le Bihan said.

Phones can also be designed with less RAM, which is costly and power-hungry, according to Le Bihan. Spansion estimated that using Eclipse will reduce handset component costs by about 30 percent.

Le Bihan conceded that some code changes may be necessary to support XIP in platforms such as Windows Mobile or Symbian, but said Spansion is working with vendors to provide driver support and other expertise.

Eclipse chips will be available initially in capacities from 512Mbit to 4Gbit (equivalent to 64MB to 512MB), according to Spansion.