UFS (Universal Flash Storage), a next-generation removable flash memory card specification developed by the JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, has gained support from seven major consumer electronics and flash memory vendors, according to a press release by STMicroelectronics. Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Micron, Nokia, STMicroelectronics, Spansion, and Texas Instruments have voiced their support for this new standard boasting faster access speed and less power consumption. Completion of the UFS standard is slated for 2009.