Alternative eMMC Component Variants
Introduction
Toradex is introducing additional variants of selected System-on-Modules (SoMs) with alternative eMMC flash memory components from suppliers such as Macronix or Kingston. These variants expand sourcing options to support continuity of supply when existing flash components face constraints or extended lead times.
This article explains what the alternatives mean for your orders and how to prepare your application for a different eMMC component.
Existing Parts Are NOT Being Discontinued
These alternative variants are introduced through a Product Notification (PN), rather than a Product Change Notification (PCN). Their introduction does not discontinue, phase out, or announce end of life (EOL) for the existing products or revisions. No Last-Time-Buy (LTB) or Last-Time-Ship (LTS) milestones apply to this notification.
The existing part number and the alternative variant remain orderable concurrently. Each alternative variant has a distinct eight-digit product identifier (PID8), so you can identify and order the required version. See Ordering Information and Product Identification for details on product identifiers.
Which Part Should I Choose?
Choose according to your production schedule, forecast volumes, and qualification requirements.
| Option | When to Consider It | What to Plan For |
|---|---|---|
| Continue ordering the existing PID8 | Your current part is qualified, your bill of materials (BOM) is locked or certified, or your immediate volume requirements can be met with available supply. | Continuing with the same part does not introduce a new variant to qualify. Availability may be affected by component allocation and extended lead times. Confirm stock and delivery dates with Toradex Sales. |
| Qualify and order the alternative PID8 | You need additional sourcing options, expect increasing volumes, or have tight delivery schedules. | Validate the alternative variant with your application before volume deployment. Confirm availability and lead times for the specific part with Toradex Sales. |
Toradex recommends ordering samples and qualifying the alternative variant in advance, even if you continue ordering your current part. Approving both variants in your internal BOM gives you more flexibility if component availability changes.
Do I Need to Validate the Alternative Variant?
Yes. Validate the alternative variant against your application before volume deployment. Mechanical and electrical pin compatibility does not remove this requirement.
The alternative variants retain the corresponding module's interface pinout and provide compatible BSP and operating system support. Check the specific revision history for software requirements and compatibility notes before selecting your software release.
eMMC components can differ in controller architecture, firmware, flash technology, and capacity. These differences can affect how storage behaves when integrated into your application. Some variants may also increase storage capacity; confirm the capacity of the exact part number you plan to order.
Plan your validation around your actual production and operating conditions. In particular, check:
- Production programming: confirm that your image installation process, provisioning tools, and custom scripts accept the new variant and work with its storage capacity.
- Boot and software operation: test your bootloader, BSP, or operating system, and application on samples of the alternative variant.
- Storage use: verify partition layouts, capacity assumptions, and application read/write behavior under representative workloads.
- Product lifecycle operations: exercise the update, recovery, and power-cycle scenarios required by your product.
Complete your application's qualification process before approving the alternative PID8 for production.
Product Revision Histories
Use the following revision histories to check the available configurations, exact PID8s, eMMC changes, and compatibility notes for your product. Alternative variants apply to selected configurations; do not assume that every configuration in a product family has the same component or capacity change.
| Product | Revision History |
|---|---|
| Verdin AM62 | Verdin AM62 revision history |
| Verdin iMX8M Plus | Verdin iMX8M Plus revision history |
| Verdin iMX8M Mini | Verdin iMX8M Mini revision history |
How to Proceed
- Identify the PID8 you currently use and review the corresponding product revision history.
- Contact Toradex Sales to confirm the alternative part number, sample availability, and lead times for your forecast volumes.
- Order samples and validate the alternative variant with your production process and application.
- Once qualified, add the alternative PID8 to your approved BOM and specify the required part number when ordering.