October 4, 1999 Web posted at: 1:16 p.m. EDT (1716 GMT) by Rob Guth

From...

TOKYO (IDG) -- Sony says that six Japanese electronics makers have licensed its Memory Stick storage technology for use in future audio-related consumer products.

The Memory Stick is a small flash memory card that resembles a stick of chewing gum. The storage medium, available in up to 16MB capacities, can be used to store any digital data including still images, video or music.

Launched last year, the stick is used in Sony's digital still cameras and its Vaio line of PCs. Recently, Sony announced the Memory Stick Walkman, a diminutive device for playing back music downloaded from the Internet.

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By licensing the technology, Sony hopes to expand the number of devices that support the medium.

The licensees announced are Aiwa, Kenwood, Pioneer, Sanyo Electric, Sharp and Fujitsu.

Sony has shipped a total of 1 million memory sticks, a number which is expected to reach 3 million by April, the company said.

Sony expects to roll out 256MB versions of the stick by 2001, the company said.

Rob Guth is senior Asian correspondent for the IDG News Service in Tokyo.