India, Oct. 28 -- TrendForce's latest investigations reveal that the surge in AI inference applications is creating a strong need for real-time data access and rapid processing of large data sets. As such, both HDD and SSD suppliers are expanding their high-capacity storage options.

Due to a notable supply shortage in the HDD market, NAND Flash vendors are fast-tracking their technological advancements and increasing production of ultra-high-capacity nearline SSDs, including 122TB and 245TB models, which helps mitigate previous concerns about long-term demand.

TrendForce indicates that the HDD industry is going through a challenging shift to next-generation heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). The substantial initial investment in n...