1. According to South Korean media reports, Apple recently negotiated with Changxin Memory Technologies Co., Ltd. (Changxin Memory) regarding the supply price of mobile DRAM such as LPDDR5X, hoping to reduce the manufacturing cost of the next generation of iPhones and smart devices. However, its price reduction request was reportedly rejected. Changxin insisted on a price no lower than Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, indicating that the bargaining power in the DRAM market is shifting from end-product manufacturers to memory companies.
2. Changxin Memory's willingness to directly reject Apple's demands stems from the fact that Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei and Xiaomi have secured Changxin's production capacity through high-priced, long-term contracts, eliminating the need for Changxin to lower prices to secure Apple's orders. Meanwhile, Samsung and SK Hynix are shifting more production capacity to high-value-added AI storage such as HBM4, LPCAMM2, and enterprise-grade SSDs, leading to a tightening supply and rising prices for general-purpose DRAM. Changxin Memory's refusal to lower prices provides strong support for general-purpose DRAM prices. (South Korean IT media *Digital Daily*)
