Western Wireless Q2 rev up 24% YoY to $359mln, net income $40.3mln.

• Western Wireless reports Q2 revenue up 24% to $359mln • Net income at $40.3mln or $0.49 per share • Adjusted EBITDA up 33% to $104mln • Consolidated total revenues increased 24% YoY • Digital data and services segment revenue grows • Western Wireless reports strong Q2 financial results

Western Digital (WD) has been making waves in the hard drive industry with its plans to introduce Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) technology. At the recent Computex trade show in Taipei, WD confirmed that its first HAMR-based hard drives are scheduled to debut in 2027 [1]. This marks a significant advancement in the company's drive lineup, as it aims to increase areal density and storage capacity.

Before the HAMR rollout, WD plans to introduce another generation of hard drives built on its proven ePMR 2 recording platform. This platform uses an additional electrical current to the write head, enhancing the precision of the writing process and allowing for closer data bit packing [1]. The initial HAMR lineup will include a 36TB model using Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR), a 40TB model leveraging Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR), and a 44TB drive based on UltraSMR technology for select partners [1].

Western Digital's 2026 roadmap includes a 36TB UltraSMR drive and a smaller-capacity CMR unit based on the ePMR 2 platform. The company expects to fully transition to HAMR technology after launching these models [1]. HAMR technology involves heating a tiny area of the disk just before writing data, making the material more receptive to magnetic changes and allowing for significantly higher data density [1].

Meanwhile, Western Wireless reported strong Q2 financial results, with revenue up 24% to $359mln, net income at $40.3mln or $0.49 per share, and adjusted EBITDA up 33% to $104mln. Consolidated total revenues increased 24% YoY, driven by growth in the digital data and services segment [2].

References:

[1] https://www.techspot.com/community/topics/western-digitals-plans-for-hamr-hard-disk-drives-will-materialize-in-2027.292677/
[2] Western Wireless Q2 Financial Results