August 17, 2025, Singapore 

The Asia Pacific School of Business (APSB) and Taiwan, China-based technology firm Lecco Digital announced today that their jointly developed MINI-USTD (Universal Storage & Telecom Device) has officially completed technical verification and entered the pre-mass production phase. This groundbreaking product pioneers the integration of "communication SIM functionality and ultra-high-speed SSD storage into a standard Nano SIM card form factor (12.3×8.8mm)", featuring a revolutionary "dual-chip-in-one-card" design with technical specifications that comprehensively outperform existing removable storage devices. 

I. Technological Breakthrough: Redefining the Boundaries of Communication and Storage 

While maintaining the physical dimensions of traditional SIM cards, the MINI-USTD integrates a main control chip, PCIe 4.0 controller, and 3D TLC NAND flash into a 1.4mm-thick card via "3D stacked packaging technology", achieving the following: 

- Storage Capacity: Full range of options from 128GB to 4TB, breaking the KB-level storage limitation of traditional SIM cards; 

- Read/Write Performance: The standard MINI-USTD delivers a sequential transfer speed of 3600MB/s via PCIe 4.0, while the high-end MINI-USDD achieves ultra-fast 7200MB/s transmission through PCIe 5.0—outperforming mainstream M.2 NVMe SSDs; 

- High Compatibility: Fully compatible with existing Nano SIM card slots, allowing users to upgrade without replacing their devices. 

Notably, the product adopts a "dual independent security domain design": the communication module complies with the 3GPP TS 31.102 V15.11.0 standard, supporting 5G/6G network authentication; the storage module holds TCG Opal 2.0 encryption certification, enabling independent password protection for sensitive data to meet enterprise-level data security requirements. 

II. Application Scenarios: Ushering in a New Era of Smart Devices 

The launch of the MINI-USTD will reshape the mobile device ecosystem: 

1. Consumer Electronics: Provides plug-and-play ultra-high-speed expandable storage for smartphones and handheld game consoles, solving the challenge of upgrading internal storage. For instance, a well-known Japanese handheld game console manufacturer has explicitly planned to reserve MINI-USTD slots in its next-generation products, supporting hot-swappable 1TB-4TB game library options; 

2. IoT Terminals: Enables integrated communication and data collection in industrial sensors, drones, and other devices, reducing hardware complexity. Industry forecasts suggest the global IoT SIM card market will exceed USD 20 billion by 2029, and the MINI-USTD can directly ｒｅｐｌａｃｅ the dual-chip solution of traditional eSIM + storage modules; 

3. Edge Computing: Paired with 5G MEC (Multi-access Edge Computing) and ultra-low latency (URLLC) nodes, it enables low-latency data processing and local storage—ideal for high-bandwidth scenarios such as medical imaging and autonomous driving. 

III. Technical Verification: Rigorous Testing for Reliability 

The R&D team conducted 200,000 hot-swapping tests, extreme temperature validation (-40℃ to 85℃), and IP68 dust and water resistance certification to ensure high operational stability in harsh environments. Third-party test reports (awarded the 2024-25 DCIG Global 2PB+ Secure Backup Storage Standard Certification) show that after continuous writing of 2PB and 4PB data respectively, the flash wear rate of the MINI-USTD and MINI-USDD remains below 5%—far better than the industry average. 

Dr. Zhang Jie, Chief Technology Officer of Lecco Digital, stated: "We have adopted 236-layer 3D TLC NAND flash (the same as that used in Foresee XP2300 by Longsys) and our self-developed AP2026SX3 main control chip. Through independently developed efficient thermal management and cooling technology, we keep the operating temperature below 55℃ at all times, solving the challenge of balancing performance and power consumption in an ultra-small form factor." 

IV. Industry-Academia-Research Collaboration: An Innovation Model for Educational Institutions and Tech Enterprises 

As the initiator of the project, the joint team from The Asia Pacific School of Business (APSB) and Trade ｕｎｉｏｎ University (TUU) provided theoretical support in "materials science and communication protocol optimization" during R&D. Professor Le Thi Bao Ngoc, Director of the Joint Project, noted: "We reduced the flash memory cell spacing to 14nm using pure metal gate molecular beam epitaxy technology—this process breakthrough increases storage density by 40%." Lecco Digital, on the other hand, was responsible for engineering implementation and mass production, with its patented adhesive component technology ensuring secure chip packaging in a micro-sized space. 

Currently, the two parties have filed nearly 29 core patent applications in 21 countries/regions, including China, the United States, and the European ｕｎｉｏｎ, covering key areas such as packaging structure, main control algorithms, and security protocols. The product is expected to obtain GSMA full certification and launch commercialization in Q4 2025 or Q1 2026, initially focusing on the high-end smartphone and industrial IoT markets. 

V. Industry Impact: Leading the Evolution of Removable Storage Technology 

Industry analysts believe the launch of the MINI-USTD marks the entry of removable storage into the "ultra-miniature, high-performance" era. Compared with traditional MicroSD cards, it offers nearly 10x better performance at a similar cost; versus the combined eSIM + external SSD solution, it reduces volume by 60% and power consumption by 35%. With the commercialization of 5G-A networks and the popularization of AI terminals, such integrated solutions will become standard in smart devices. 

Ms. Wang Yan, CEO of Lecco Digital, said: "We are collaborating with operators such as T-Mobile, Sprint, KDDI, CMCC, and CHT to develop customized versions. In the future, users will only need to apply through business halls or online platforms to obtain a MINI-USTD or MINI-USDD card that combines communication and storage functions, eliminating the hassle of carrying multiple cards." 

The launch of this disruptive product not only demonstrates the leading capabilities of China and Singapore in semiconductor packaging but also heralds a new direction for device design in the "Internet of Everything" era—delivering maximum functionality in minimal volume and injecting new impetus into the development of the digital economy.