With Android allowing for Adoptable Storage and the integration of SD cards into the actual flash disk on the phone, you’ll want to make sure that the microSD card you’re using is fit to be attached as part of the device’s internal storage in order to run apps direct from the card.

Well, the Secure Digital Association is out with a new specification, SD 5.1, that introduces the Application Performance Class. Yes, another class rating beyond Speed Classes and UHS Speed Classes, but this one is important if you’re storing more than your pictures, songs and video on your card.

The new rating guarantees that an SD card can maintain a minimum amount of constant input-output accesses per second.

The new and only Class A1 rating sets a standard for read rates of 1,500 IOPS, write rates of 500 IOPS and sequential streams of at least 10MB/s. More ratings will be created as cards and requirements become faster.

Of course, UFS 2.0 cards are also coming into play and they’re already speedy enough to be used in Adoptable Storage. It’s a matter of how much consumers are willing to pay in the technology’s commercial infancy.

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