Kioxia to End Production of Planar 2D NAND by 2028, Phasing Out Legacy Memory Tech

• March 31, 2026

Kioxia, a prominent player in the semiconductor industry, has informed its clients about a significant shift in its memory manufacturing strategy. The company plans to phase out production of planar 2D NAND memory as well as third-generation 3D NAND BiCS (Bit Cost Scaling) memory by the year 2028.

End of an Era for Planar NAND Technology

Planar 2D NAND memory has been a cornerstone of non-volatile storage technology since its inception in the 1980s. This traditional form of NAND flash memory features a flat, two-dimensional structure to store data. Over the decades, it served as the foundation for various consumer and enterprise storage solutions.

However, advancements in semiconductor fabrication and the demand for higher storage densities have led the industry to adopt 3D NAND architectures, which stack memory cells vertically to increase capacity and performance while reducing costs. Kioxia, instrumental in the development and commercialization of 3D NAND, continues to invest in newer memory technologies but is now confirming the transition away from the older planar format.

In addition to discontinuing planar NAND production, Kioxia is also set to halt manufacturing of its third-gen BiCS 3D NAND memory. BiCS technology, which underpins many of the company’s high-capacity flash storage products, is gradually being replaced by more advanced iterations of 3D NAND that offer improved performance and energy efficiency.

The decision to end production of these legacy memory types is reflective of broader trends within the semiconductor sector, where continual innovation dictates the lifecycle of memory products. As demands for increased storage capacity and faster data access grow, manufacturers like Kioxia are focused on leveraging next-generation NAND technologies to meet evolving market needs.

While specific plans regarding the transition or support for customers utilizing existing planar 2D NAND and third-gen BiCS 3D NAND have not been extensively detailed, the announcement marks a definitive timeline for the discontinuation of these longstanding memory solutions.

The phase-out of planar NAND after more than four decades highlights the rapid evolution of solid-state storage technologies and sets the stage for more advanced memory architectures that will shape the future of data storage.

Kioxia announces plans to discontinue planar 2D NAND and third-gen BiCS 3D NAND memory production by 2028.