Apple is significantly increasing its reliance on long-time memory chip provider Samsung, as prices for iPhone memory is increasing by leaps and bounds, according to The Korea Economic Daily.
The report claims Apple is expanding the amount of iPhone memory it purchases from Samsung, as memory prices increase at a rapid rate. Samsung is expected to supply 60% to 70% of the low-power DRAM used in the iPhone 17, compared with a more even split with SK Hynix in previous iPhone lineups, with Micron also supplying a smaller amount fo RAM.
The iPhone uses low-power double data rate memory (LPDDR), a fairly common standard that all three companies produce in high quantities, which is optimized for energy efficiency and thermal performance in mobile devices.
Unfortunately, industry sources say Micron and SK Hynix are redirecting their production capacity toward high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is used for artificial intelligence accelerators and data center hardware, making it in high demand. This has resulted in their available capacity for mobile-focused LPDDR becoming heavily constrained.
Meanwhile, Samsung continues to maintain its production levels of LPDDR memory, meaning it is still able to meet Apple’s needs.
The report says Apple’s hardware is sensitive to momentary voltage spikes, which are not handled well by its latest and greatest iPhone chips, including the A19 and A19 Pro. This means memory suppliers nust deliver components that perform identically across massive production runs.
Apple is paying more for its LPDDR memory modules, as the price of a 12GB LPDDR5X module, which are used in the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro, has risen precipitously from the $30 level at the beginning of 2025 to roughly $70 today.
