You may soon easily identify microSD cards that are best suited for running apps. The SD Association, a group responsible for setting interoperable SD standards, has announced a new app performance class for cards that are certified to run an store apps on a mobile device. Cards that meet or exceed the requirements will sport an ‘A1’ symbol. However, in order for it to be certified, a card must be have a random read Input-Output Per Second (IOPS) of 1500, write IOPS of 500, and sustained sequential performance of 10MB/s.
"With its consumer-friendly symbol, App Performance Class eliminates buyers' frustration with identifying app-running compatibility on their Android devices and microSD memory cards," stated Brian Kumagai, SDA President. "Matching the App Performance Class symbol with your mobile device requirements simplifies the process and continues the SD tradition of matching your memory card to your device."
Google introduced adoptable storage with Android Marshmallow last year. Since most microSD cards are slower than the internal storage found on most smartphones, the new A1 symbol should help consumers find memory cards that are best suited for mobile devices.