[News] Samsung May Raise iPhone LPDDR Prices by Over 80% QoQ; SK hynix Reportedly Near-100% Increase

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix may be lifting LPDDR prices for iPhones. According to ZDNet, industry sources said the two companies have negotiated significant price hikes for LPDDR supplied to Apple in the first quarter. Samsung Electronics is said to have pushed for a quarter-on-quarter increase of more than 80%, while SK hynix is believed to have sought a hike of around 100%.

The report notes that Apple has historically leveraged its scale as a leading smartphone vendor to secure LPDDR at comparatively lower prices. However, as memory supply tightness has worsened since mid-last year, Apple appears to have been unable to resist the broader price uptrend. As a result, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are positioned to further enhance profitability in their DRAM businesses in the first quarter.

Notably, the report adds that LPDDR prices for Apple could rise further in the second half of 2026, when the company is expected to launch its latest flagship smartphone, the “iPhone 18.” Sources cited in the report say that Apple typically enters into annual long-term memory supply agreements (LTAs). However, reflecting the recent memory shortage, current negotiations appear to have been concluded only through the first half of the year.

The broader DRAM market has seen sharp price increases. According to TrendForce, strong demand for DDR5 pushed DRAM prices up by 53–58% in the fourth quarter. Continued demand from cloud service providers has kept memory consumption elevated, further fueling price gains. TrendForce now expects DRAM prices to rise by more than 60% in the first quarter of 2026, with some product categories nearly doubling.

LPDDR Pricing Moves Toward Supplier Favor

Nevertheless, ZDNet notes that LPDDR prices for Apple are not considered high in absolute terms. As a major buyer in the memory market, Apple has historically used its strong negotiating position to procure LPDDR at lower prices than other companies. While exact pricing details remain confidential, industry observers cited in the report believe the latest negotiations have significantly narrowed the imbalance between Apple and its memory suppliers.

LPDDR is a form of DRAM optimized for greater power efficiency than standard DDR memory and is a critical component in smartphones and other IT devices. Seventh-generation LPDDR5X is currently the most widely adopted version. ZDNet adds that Apple is among the largest LPDDR customers, with annual iPhone shipments estimated at around 250 million units as of last year.

With the higher pricing for Apple-bound memory now taking effect, overall profitability for memory suppliers is expected to strengthen further in the first quarter. Sources cited by ZDNet noted that LPDDR prices had already risen by around 40% in the fourth quarter, and with steeper increases in the first quarter, margins are projected to reach at least the mid-60% range or higher.

The memory giants are not only lifting prices for smartphone customer, but are also pushing through sharp increases across other segments. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, according to Hankyung, have reportedly pitched first-quarter server DRAM prices up 60–70% from the fourth quarter to major clients including Microsoft and Google, while PC DRAM buyers are also seeing comparable hikes.

Read more

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(Photo credit: Apple)