UFS (Universal Flash Storage) is the high-speed flash standard used in modern smartphones and tablets. UFS 4.0 reaches sequential read speeds of 4200 MB/s.
UFS evolution: UFS 2.1 (~870 MB/s, common in budget phones), UFS 3.1 (~2100 MB/s, mid-range), UFS 4.0 (~4200 MB/s, flagships from 2023+).
UFS uses a serial interface and supports full duplex (read/write simultaneously), unlike older eMMC. Real-world impact: faster app installs, quicker camera burst saves, smoother RAW photo editing on phone.
Flagship phones since 2023 have moved to UFS 4.0; the difference is most noticeable when transferring large media files or installing 5+ GB games.