Sony halts memory card sales: chip shortage deepens tech woes
Sony has abruptly suspended
orders for CFexpress and SD memory cards, a move signaling the escalating semiconductor crisis is now biting deep into consumer electronics. The Japanese arm of the tech giant announced the halt, citing an inability to meet demand, leaving photographers, videographers, and gamers scrambling for alternatives.A prolonged freeze: orders frozen until 2026
The suspension, detailed on Sony’s product information pages, isn't a temporary blip – orders won’t be accepted until March 2026. This lengthy freeze encompasses a wide range of popular cards, including CFexpress Type A (CEA-G1920T, CEA-G960T, etc.), CFexpress Type B (CEB-G480T, CEB-G240T), and SDXC/SDHC cards (SF-G256T, SF-G128T, and several others). Sony offered a terse apology, stating they are “sincerely sorry for any inconvenience” caused to customers, a sentiment echoed across the industry as the chip shortage continues to strangle supply chains.
But there's more at play than just supply. This action arrives on the heels of Sony’s recent price hikes for its PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal consoles—a direct consequence, the company admitted, of “ongoing global economic pressures.” The memory crisis, specifically the shortage of RAM and storage chips, isn’t simply impacting card availability; it’s threatening Sony’s core gaming business.
Console launch dates in doubt
The ramifications are substantial. Insiders are now openly discussing a potential delay for the next-generation PlayStation console, with estimates pushing a release date to 2028 or even 2029. This is a significant setback for Sony, as competition in the console market with Microsoft’s Xbox intensifies. The inability to secure adequate memory components could derail their roadmap and cede valuable ground to competitors.
The decision isn’t unique to Sony, but its scale—a complete freeze on orders for key memory cards—underscores the severity of the problem. While other manufacturers are navigating the crisis with price increases and limited availability, Sony has opted for a more drastic approach, effectively shutting down a significant portion of its memory card business for the foreseeable future. The question now isn't whether the chip shortage will ease, but how much damage it will inflict on the broader tech ecosystem before it does.
The move reveals a stark reality: even industry giants like Sony are feeling the pinch of a global crisis that's only just beginning to unfold. And for consumers, the message is clear: expect delays, higher prices, and limited availability across a wide range of electronics for the months, if not years, to come.