WESTERN DIGITAL LAUNCHES NEW MY PASSPORT™ ULTRA DRIVE TO HELP CONSUMERS EASILY BACK UP THEIR DIGITAL LIVES

Western Digital Corporation, (NASDAQ: WDC), a global data storage technology and solutions leader, today expanded its iconic line of WD® brand My Passport portable drives with the redesigned My Passport Ultra drive. In addition to a new metallic look, the drive offers intuitive WD Discovery™ software to help consumers easily back up photos, videos and important documents shared and created across multiple social networks, cloud services and devices. The My Passport Ultra drive is the ideal storage solution for consumers who want to consolidate and preserve all aspects of their digital lives.

Today’s consumers have multiple social media accounts, and according to Parks Associates research¹, use an average of three public cloud services per household like Dropbox, Google Drive™ or Microsoft OneDrive, all of which increases their digital footprint. With so many ways to create, share and store content, there is a growing need for solutions that enable consumers to consolidate all of this crucial data. The My Passport Ultra drive with WD Discovery software makes it easier than ever to back up content from popular social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram*. With a few simple steps, users can download all of their content, including tagged photos and videos from Facebook, onto the drive. WD Discovery software is also an excellent way for users to keep a local copy of files they’ve stored on their favorite public cloud services.

“As the connected consumer has become more mobile, content is now scattered across multiple devices, cloud services and social media,” said Glenn Hower, Senior Analyst, Parks Associates. “The fundamental problem for consumers is that they may not remember what content is stored on what account. Device makers and service providers are positioned to provide a better way to integrate and improve the connected consumer experience.”

To ensure peace of mind that valuable digital memories and files are backed up quickly and easily, the My Passport Ultra drive also comes with easy-to-set WD Backup™ software, allowing users to schedule automatic backups directly from a computer to the drive. In addition, the My Passport Ultra drive features 256-bit AES Hardware Encryption with WD Security™ software built in to help keep private content secure. With a personalized password, users can activate hardware encryption and data protection.

“With so many amazing platforms at our fingertips to create and share photos, videos and important files, it’s critical that we enable consumers to bring together all of their precious content,” said Sven Rathjen, vice president of marketing, Client Solutions, Western Digital. “We’re focused on delivering brilliant storage solutions that combine the quality, performance and reliability consumers have come to expect from the WD brand, and now we’ve reimagined our portable storage portfolio with intuitive software, high capacity and a beautiful design that perfectly suits today’s digital lifestyle.”

The My Passport Ultra drive’s stylish design is an extension of the new My Passport industrial design that was launched in October 2016 and formed from its partnership with award-winning industrial design and branding firm, fuseproject and its lead designer Yves Behar. Designed with metallic and matte finishes, the My Passport Ultra drive is available in two color combinations, either black-gray or white-gold. The drive comfortably fits in the palm of a hand, pocket or purse, so people can confidently back up all of their favorite content wherever life takes them.

Pricing and Availability

The My Passport Ultra drive is protected by a three-year limited warranty and is available now from wd.com and at select retailers and distributors around the world. My Passport Ultra has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRPs) of $79.99/1TB, $99.99/2TB, $129.99/3TB and $139.99/4TB, respectively**.