Until yesterday, when someone asked for a memory card brand recommendation, most people would answer with either SanDisk or Lexar. However, this is all about to change with the decision of Micron Technology to discontinue its Lexar retail removable media storage business. The parent company has decided to concentrate its activities and efforts on opportunities in higher value markets and channels.
Lexar was known by photographers and cinematographers as one of the big names in the memory card industry. It would be one of the two brands most people would recommend above all others with SanDisk. Nothing would have let us guessed that Lexar would disappear so soon! Less than two years ago they released their Professional Workflow line of products which seemed so exciting for people with large data to import and export, especially nowadays with computers that come with less port than cars or dishwashers.
Jay Hawkins, Micron Technology’s consumer products group vice president, writes in his blog post announcement that the company is trying to sell the Lexar business, or at least part of it. So it may not be all over yet. Until we know for sure where the company is heading and if it’s going to be bought, Micron Technology will continue to offer support to existing customers.
Hopefully, the brand will not die, and its reliable products such as the JumpDrive Tough will be available for a bit longer!
[via Micron Technology]
Time to start buying up some of these cards. Only ones that I haven't had fail on me.
I had issues on every single Lexar card I bought ^^ and none with Sandisk... They will not miss me
All my San Disk are either unreadable or fell apart after a year. I have one that I can view the photos on, however can not be formatted, have new photos added or have images copied from. This was before WD bought them though.
I've bought multiples of each and have had failures of one each. Always use a backup and carry a spare.
It's gone...probably become OEM products rebranded under other companies like Amazon.
Also why I never believe in life-time warranties...
Great, all my favorite brands are either falling steep down or dying.
And this is why we can't have nice things... because... damn it. That's it, I'm taking up painting. At least I won't be accused of over Photoshoping my canvas...
I loved Lexar's memory cards. Now we all will be forced to buy overpriced Sandisk cards. And that sucks.
All the Nikon XQD pundits are sweating it, now that Sony is the only XQD manufacturer. I suppose Nikon was bamboozled into that stillborn format to get some sensor production cooperation from Sony. I hope Nikon learns it's lesson and stops crippling it's UHS-II busses.
By the way, the prices for their cards just went up since the announcement. I bought a 2pack 128GB 1000x cards from B&H over the weekend and looking at the price right now it's up $20!