Look at this chart:

QLC line looks nice, isn't it?

This is example of capitalist greed, each of them want maximum profits no matter the damage made.

3D QLC production cost is slightly higher compared to 3D TLC, to compensate for it and further increase profits lot of firms simplify chip designs in logic part. Making it less channels and use simplified design.

Present profits of firms like Samsung and Micron selling latest 65-96 layers QLC and TLC can reach as high as 500-2000% from production costs. Similar to drug cartels and their methods are exactly the same - bribes and corruption.

For almost 3 years we have cartel agreement that only allow moderate slides after strong push (this time it had been Chinese agencies, rumors are that they told that otherwise they make public real cost calculations).

NVMe controllers profit margins are also huge, controller manufacturing cost is usually LOWER than SATA one due to simpler protocol, yet wholesale chip price can reach 5x-10x of SATA controller prices, and all major manufacturers also meet regularly and set coordinated prices.

Next layer of protection is manufacturers of equipment used to make NAND chips, they are tightly controlled, and are part of cartel agreement. Their interest - keep huge margins on their equipment and do not allow any competition.

Same goes for Optane memory. Intel wants to control production volume and tightly control speed and prices (hence their conflict with Micron). Same Intel is in constant talk to NAND manufacturers.

Industry rumors are that current Optane memory is around 4 times slowed down, both by design and controller. As well as prices are kept artificially 4x higher than they could be. Intel goal is to go slow and not destroy NAND industry, as well as being able to get huge profits at corporate and datacenters areas.

Capitalism forces firms and people to hide information where public is fed with fairy tales. And it also huge impact on real progress.