Sony suspends memory card orders amid global crisis

Sony has implemented a drastic suspension of orders for nearly its entire range of CFexpress and SD memory cards, effective Friday.

The move, announced via Sony Japan, halts new orders from both authorised dealers and general consumers for an indefinite period. Impacted products include the high-end CFexpress Type A and Type B lines, as well as the majority of SDXC and SDHC cards.

Only the 960GB CFexpress Type B and low-end SF-UZ series SD cards currently remain in production. Sony attributed the decision to a "global shortage of semiconductors" and other "factors," which industry analysts link to the explosive demand for NAND flash memory in AI data centres and a worsening geopolitical crisis.

A severe global helium shortage has exacerbated the situation following the recent military conflict in the Middle East.

Helium, a critical component for cooling and precision manufacturing in chip fabrication, has seen its supply chain severed after Iranian drone strikes caused "extensive damage" to Qatar's Ras Laffan facility—the source of one-third of the world’s helium.

Experts warn that spot prices for the gas have doubled, forcing manufacturers like Sony to prioritise limited resources. This supply chain volatility coincided with Sony’s announcement of a significant global price hike for the PlayStation 5, with the disc edition rising to $649.99 (¥97,980) to offset "adverse economic conditions."

While existing stock remains on some retail shelves, Sony has warned that once these units are sold, they will not be replenished until market conditions stabilise.

The company has offered a sincere apology to its customers and stated it will provide updates on the resumption of orders via its official product pages once the supply-demand balance improves.