RAM and eMMC Prices Are So High, Pine64 Has Stopped Linux Device Production
Summary
Pine64 has halted the production of its Linux-based single-board computers due to the soaring cost of RAM and EMMC storage. The price surge, driven by high demand from the AI industry, has made it financially unviable for the company to continue manufacturing. This decision follows similar concerns about the exorbitant cost of other boards like the Raspberry Pi. The move could have a significant knock-on impact on the open-source hardware community if other vendors follow suit. Pine64 hopes that sales of their other products will help offset the losses from this production pause.
Key points
- Pine64 has stopped production of its Linux boards due to the high cost of RAM and EMMC.
- The price increase is largely attributed to demand from the AI industry.
- This decision mirrors concerns over the now-exorbitant cost of other boards like the Raspberry Pi.
- The production halt could negatively impact the open-source hardware community if other vendors follow suit.
- For many applications, microcontrollers are now a more attractive alternative due to their immunity from these price hikes.
Timeline
Pine64 halts production of Linux-based single-board computers.
“Pine64 are responding to the crisis by halting production of their Linux boards for the time being.”
Background
The cost of RAM and EMMC storage has risen sharply due to demand from the AI industry.
Why it matters
This move by Pine64 could lead other vendors to halt production, affecting the open-source hardware community.
What's next
The article suggests that microcontrollers may become a more viable choice for many applications due to their immunity from these price hikes.