Addressing the TCO requirements of data center customers, Western Digital announced its nine-disk mechanical platform, which includes energy-assisted recording technology and maintains the company's areal density leadership while delivering the highest capacity available. The company will sample the 18 TB Ultrastar DC HC550 CMR HDD and the 20 TB Ultrastar DC HC650 SMR HDD to select customers by the end of 2019 with production ramp expected in the first half of 2020. Western Digital will offer a unique and full portfolio of Capacity Enterprise HDDs, with cost-optimized configurations for every important capacity point: six-disk 10 TB Ultrastar DC HC330 air-based HDD; eight-disk 14 TB Ultrastar DC HC530 helium-based HDD; nine-disk 18 TB Ultrastar DC HC550 helium-based HDD; and a nine-disk 20 TB Ultrastar DC HC650 helium-based HDD. The company's strong execution has resulted in a rapid ramp and majority share at its capacity point for the Ultrastar DC HC530 HDD3, the industry's only available eight-disk 14 TB CMR drive. According to TRENDFOCUS, 14 TB will continue to be the industry's dominant capacity point through the first half of 2020.

Western Digital's 10 TB Ultrastar DC HC330 and 14 TB Ultrastar DC HC530 are available now. The company will sample the 20 TB Ultrastar DC HC650 SMR HDD and the Ultrastar DC HC550 CMR HDD in 18 TB and 16 TB capacities to select customers by the end of this year, with qualification and volume shipments beginning in the first half of 2020.