Consumer SSDs Retreat for AI Demand

Major flash‑memory vendors are consolidating and rebranding consumer SSD product lines while prioritizing higher‑margin, higher‑density enterprise and AI datacenter SKUs. That shift shows up as discontinued consumer sub‑brands, migration from QLC→TLC/PCIe5 on premium lines, and rising retail SSD prices as AI buildout soaks up capacity. — If sustained, the retreat of consumer storage lines signals broader industrial reallocation driven by AI demand with effects on consumer prices, device repair/upgrade markets, supply‑chain resilience, and competition policy.