Lexar is on the verge of death: Micron announces it’s discontinuing the brand while trying to sell it

 

 

Micron, the parent company of memory card and portable memory behemoth Lexar, announced an absolute shocker: they will be discontinuing its Lexar retail removable media storage business while also entertaining offers from those looking to purchase the brand and its assets. Announced on the Micron company blog, the short news item doesn't mince words or leave anything to the imagination: Lexar, at least under Micron management, will be no more. Micron says "the decision was made as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to focus on its increasing opportunities in higher value markets and channels." No timetable for a complete dissolution of the brand was provided.

The Lexar portfolio of products includes their ubiquitous memory cards as well as USB flash drives, readers, and storage drives for retail and OEM customers. Micron has stated that they will continue to provide product support for exisitng customers through the "transition period" and that customers should contact their Lexar sales representative to discuss specific requirements.

The writer of the blog, Jay Hawkins who is consumer products group vice president at Micron Technology, said in closing, "I’d like to thank our team members and partners for their contributions to the Lexar business. As difficult as this decision is, the company is making this adjustment in its business to ensure it continues to be well-positioned for the future."

And that's it. There is no "maybe" or "perhaps they'll change their mind" in this announcement. It appears as close to a done deal/finished decision as I've seen, and for many Lexar fans (myself included), this is an absolute shocker. There was never really any indication that the Lexar business wasn't doing well, and they were releasing new products as late as a month ago. With their exit, provided a current non-competitor in the space decides to purchase them, the number of major companies competing in the memory card space dwindles to two in Sony and SanDisk (with a few other discount/OEM brands scattered in there). Losing a major player in an already rather closed space is never good news. 

Personally, I'm still digesting the idea of a world without Lexar, and it's not sitting well.