Fusion-io will roll out the next iteration of its multi-layer cell (MLC) technology later this year, according to chief financial officer Dennis Woolf. The executive indicated that new PCIe cards sporting the technology will be introduced in the third quarter of 2013.

As of today Fusion-io’s MLC lineup utilizes 2X architecture, which refers to a cell-size of between 29 and 20 nanometres. The newer 1X technology is somewhere between 19 and 15nm, The Register’s Chris Mellor’s estimates, while the 1Y-based devices that the company plans to launch in Q3 will come in at approximately 14 to 10nm.

The 1Y generation architecture will pave the way for 1Z technology, which is expected to hit the market sometime in late 2014. Fusion-io is also working on ioDrive 3, the successor to its flagship SSD drive, but there’s no word on the launch date.

The flash storage juggernaut is picking up its pace in response to increased competition from rivaling vendors. A few months ago, Violin introduced a PCIe card that delivers one million IOPS for 512KB data blocks.

Mixed tidings

Fusion-io has received a lot of attention lately, not all of it good. Many eyebrows were raised last month after co-founders David Flynn and Rick White resigned as CEO and CMO, respectively. The company appointed Shane Robison as chief executive officer a few days later.

One of the first things Robinson did as CEO was to clear the controversy around the two founders’ abrupt departure. He told SiliconAngle Editor-in-Chief John Furrier and Wikibon Chief Analyst Dave Vellante that Fusion-io is “in very good shape; we are industry leaders,” and dispelled the rumors that his company is up for grabs. He credited Flynn and White with establishing a “great foundation” from which the firm will continue to grow.