[News] Samsung CEO Roh Reportedly to Meet Micron in Rare CES Meeting Over Tight Mobile DRAM Supply

Amid a sharp surge in memory prices, even Samsung is feeling the strain despite its in-house capacity. DealSite reveals that Roh Tae-moon, CEO and Head of Samsung Electronics’ DX Division, will meet Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra on the opening day of CES 2026 in Las Vegas, running January 6–9.

As the report highlights, such meetings are rare during the event, but sources say Samsung requested it to address tightening mobile DRAM supply. The discussion, according to DealSite, is expected to focus on LPDDR5X for the upcoming Galaxy S26, as soaring prices have left contracts with Samsung’s DS division and Micron unresolved.

As Sedaily reported previously, LPDDR5X 12GB, widely used in the Galaxy lineup, was trading at around USD 70 as of late November, more than double its price of about USD 33 earlier in 2025.

If confirmed, the move aligns with Samsung’s latest memory strategy. Sedaily reports that while the tech giant’s semiconductor division (DS) will supply memory chips to the Mobile eXperience (MX) unit, the deal will follow quarterly negotiations rather than the previously considered long-term, year-plus arrangement for mobile DRAM.

As Sedaily explains, Samsung’s DS division is reshaping its production lines to focus on higher-margin products, such as HBM for AI accelerators, aiming to maximize profitability. For now, both divisions have reached a broad agreement on minimum supply volumes for next year, helping the MX unit avoid a worst-case scenario of running short on mobile DRAM, the report adds.

Micron Remains Key Mobile DRAM Supplier for Samsung

Though rivals in the HBM market, Micron and Samsung share a closely intertwined relationship in mobile DRAM, blending competition with collaboration. DealSite reported in June that Samsung’s MX division was testing Micron’s LPDDR5X samples ahead of the Galaxy S26 launch, comparing them with in-house DS products, with results expected by year-end.

Micron also said in a mid-year press release that it is sampling 1γ-based LPDDR5X 16GB modules to select partners and plans to offer capacities ranging from 8GB to 32GB for 2026 flagship smartphones.

DealSite noted that if Micron is named primary supplier again, it would be another setback for Samsung’s DS division. Previous reports, including The Korea Herald, show that the Galaxy S25 used Micron’s mobile DRAM instead of Samsung’s. While Micron has supplied as a secondary partner for over a decade, this would mark its first role as the primary supplier for the Galaxy series, as per The Korea Herald.

Samsung Speeds up LPDDR6 Development

It is interesting to note that, according to Business Post, Samsung is seen as the frontrunner in LPDDR6 development. The company is expected to be the first to bring LPDDR6 to market and plans to showcase it at CES 2026, the report notes.

Built on Samsung’s 1c (12‑nm class) DRAM process, its LPDDR6 reportedly offers an 11% performance boost and 21% better energy efficiency over LPDDR5X. With up to 1.5× higher data bandwidth, it can support real-time large language model (LLM) workloads and high-resolution, high-refresh-rate applications, as per Business Post.

The report indicates that Samsung may start mass-producing LPDDR6 by year-end and could equip select Galaxy S26 models with the new memory, aiming to get a head start on competitors. However, some industry watchers suggest LPDDR6 might debut first in the Galaxy S27 series.

Read more

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(Photo credit: Micron)