Five of the world’s top SD card manufacturers are working on a "next generation secure memory initiative" that will see them develop a digital rights management (DRM) scheme that allows users to transfer HD content onto an SD card.

In theory, Panasonic, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony and Toshiba hope to encourage content providers to deliver premium content directly onto SD cards by eliminating the fear that the HD material will be pirated. In turn, this will allow users to transfer and watch HD content on a variety of devices from Android-based smartphones and tablets to TVs and Blu-ray products.

"This content protection solution will be robust enough to protect HD content," reads the press release. "A high level of content security will be realised through the use of the initiative's technologies, including unique ID technology for Flash memory and robust copy protection based on public key infrastructure."

The Next Generation Secure Memory Initiative will enable "various HD content applications such as HD network download, broadcast content to go, and HD digital copy/managed copy from Blu-ray disc media," though it's unknown whether Microsoft Windows devices or Apple products will be supported.

The five companies believe that they each can make substantial contributions that, when combined, will enable them to start licensing the new secure memory technology early next year. The consortium expects to see adoption of flash memory products and various embedded flash memory solutions using this technology in the market in 2012.