At the same time, organisations are under increasing pressure to manage the data traversing their own networks at scale.

There is an immediate need to access insight in real-time, and that means adopting the right technologies and capabilities to stay competitive.

At the core of this is a need for storage that can deliver efficient, reliable, real-time access to insights. In 2025, flash storage emerged as the solution of choice for many industries due to its scalable, robust, and flexible nature. As we move into 2026, this trend is set to accelerate in a few key ways:

Storing and Managing Unstructured Data 

As data volumes continue to rise in 2026, organisations will no doubt generate more unstructured data than ever before.

This unstructured data can include anything that does not fit neatly into predefined formats or models, which could be text, emails, video, imagery, sensor readings, and system logs from different formats.

Produced rapidly and in large quantities, unstructured data only becomes valuable when efficiently stored, processed, and converted into actionable intelligence.

Industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, and finance generate vast amounts of unstructured data every day, and this will only continue into the new year.

From medical scans and clinical notes, through to machine logs, quality-control imagery, and vehicle sensor streams, organisations will need to be able to convert this unstructured data into structured insight that can be analysed in real-time.

The insights enable informed decision-making, predictive maintenance, and operational efficiency.

Flash storage is well suited to meet the needs of data-heavy sectors as it provides high-speed data processing, low latency, and the reliability required to handle vast volumes of unstructured data rapidly and dependably.

Its ability to support real-time insights, enable edge processing, and manage demanding workloads with minimal degradation also enables it to turn raw data into valuable, actionable outcomes across sectors.

Ongoing advancements in flash storage also allow for accelerated read/write performance which is ideal for building robust data repositories, training next-generation AI models, and processing insights in real-time which enables efficient and seamless operations.

Making Software-Defined Vehicles a Reality  

The opportunity for Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), or Autonomous Vehicles (AVs), in 2026 will be significant.

The UK Government claims that 38,000 domestic jobs could be created across manufacturing, software development, testing, and optimisation.

The country is gearing up to become a global leader in the next generation of mobility, the market could be worth as much as £42 billion by 2035.

However, this new market will come with unprecedented data demands. Each SDV could produce 1 to 2 terabytes of raw data each day according to a 2021 study by McKinsey & Company.

This is because cameras, radar, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), and AI systems are constantly collecting, storing, and analysing information in real-time to improve safety, performance, and seamless operation.

Without reliable storage at the heart of these systems, all the innovation, jobs and economic growth which come with this, could face operational challenges.

With these intense data requirements, it will be even more crucial that storage is not overlooked in the coming year. While the focus tends to be on real-time processing and immediate vehicle performance, data storage, specifically flash storage, will enable the making SDVs a reality.

This is because resilient, vehicle optimized flash storage can manage the massive data demands of SDVs reliably and efficiently.

Such devices are able to withstand varying temperatures, vibrations, and mechanical shock commonly encountered in automotive environments.

Flash storage also enables the real-time processing of sensor data, supporting the secure logging of critical information, and underpinning the performance of software-defined and autonomous systems.

Flash Innovation in the Data Centre

As data volumes continue to grow and new technologies like AI proliferate, development of the UK’s underlying data centre network, and technology within these data centres, will be critical. The UK government in early 2025 laid out plans for significant waves of investment in this space.

With this funding expected to drive rapid expansion in digital infrastructure, creating opportunities for economic growth, innovation, and global competitiveness.

Flash storage offers significant advantages for data centres, delivering enhanced performance, efficiency, and scalability.

Its features, high speed and low latency, can enhance the performance of read and write operations, resulting in improved overall system responsiveness.

This performance uplift is complemented by lower power consumption and reduced heat generation, helping minimise cooling requirements and lower operating costs.

Moreover, the compact design of flash solutions supports higher-density deployments, making it ideal for environments where physical space is at a premium.

With no moving parts, it also provides enhanced durability and reliability, supporting long-term system stability and minimising the risk of mechanical failure, making it a resilient and dependable choice for modern data centre infrastructure.

With investment expected to ramp up, and space at a premium across the UK’s data centre network, flash will become a storage solution of choice to support these intense delivery requirements.

Flash: The Backbone of the Data Economy 

Ultimately, in 2026 the volume of data traversing our networks will continue to soar, and AI-powered technologies will increasingly become ubiquitous. Having the right storage in place will be key.

With such emphasis on new technologies in development and data opportunities, the role of storage has often been overlooked.

Going forward however, if governments and organisations really want to benefit from the trove of insight now available to them, they will have to pay more attention to data storage options that underpin much of our future data economy.

And flash storage will continue to rise as the option of choice for many, across interesting and diverse use cases.

Built with a rugged, fanless aluminium design, the device is compatible with Macs, PCs, iPad Pro, Chromebooks, and Microsoft Surface devices using Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 5, and USB4.

Designed for professionals, gamers, and mobile creators who want faster performance on the move, the new drive is built with an aluminium finned design. The Express 1M2 80G manages heat while sustaining top speeds without throttling.

The OWC Express 1M2 80G SSD also supports Thunderbolt 3 Macs, enlarging its user base. Buyers can either choose a “build-your-own” option or purchase ready-to-use versions with up to 8TB capacity.

Future upgrades are straightforward, thanks to support for faster and higher-capacity NVMe M.2 SSDs.

Larry O’Connor, OWC’s founder and CEO, described the product as a breakthrough for users unwilling to compromise on speed. “This is more than just an update – it’s a next-gen tool for anyone who refuses to settle for slow. From on-the-go creatives, to tech-savvy DIYers, to portable gaming pros – we built the Express 1M2 80G to deliver unmatched performance, flexibility, and reliability.”

The SSD’s specifications highlight its versatility:

• Performance: Real-world speeds above 6,000MB/s
• Options: DIY kit or ready-to-use with up to 8TB storage
• Durability: Rugged, heat-dissipating enclosure
• Convenience: Bus-powered via USB4 cable
• Use cases: Everyday data handling to professional-grade creative projects

Pricing starts at $219 for the 0TB enclosure, with preconfigured models ranging from $349 for 1TB to $1,299 for 8TB. The product is now available through OWC’s official website and Amazon.

Founded in 1988, OWC has built a reputation for high-performance storage and connectivity solutions that support creative professionals and businesses worldwide.

The new data centre is part of efforts to expand the company’s capacity ten folds and consolidate its leadership as a major digital infrastructure hub in West Africa. 

The new build known as Rack Centre LGS 2 data center which is in the heart of Ikeja, with easy access to the main commercial areas of Lagos, will be situated on a 20,000 square meters green field site and sits at over 30 meters above sea level. 

With this expansion, Rack Centre would have a net lettable space of 3240 sqm and an IT load of 13.5MW as against the current data center, LGS1, which has an IT load of 1.5MW and a net lettable space of 1094 sqm.

The Chief Operating Officer, Ezekiel Egboye, stated the company is delighted to be a part of the ongoing digital transformation on the continent, especially as more African businesses need more internet capacity to support their operations, ascertaining the company’s readiness to enable digital infrastructure by hosting a large number of Hyperscalers, content, and cloud delivery networks, internet service providers at its facility.

Briefing the journalists, he said, “The Lagos Campus data center has grown to be the largest carrier and cloud-neutral digital infrastructure hub in West Africa, and with this expansion, we intend on further growing our thriving ecosystem’’.

Rack Centre’s rich ecosystem includes 60+ telecommunication carriers, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), global Tier 1 networks, and pan Africa international carriers, including direct interconnections to all five undersea cables serving the South Atlantic Coast of Africa including Equiano and in the foreseeable future 2Africa and every country on the Atlantic coast of Africa. 

Rack Centre became the first International Finance Corporation (IFC) EDGE-certified data center in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. 

Officially making this the first Green Certified Data Centre in Africa and the most connected facility in the region, according to its Peering DB ranking.