- About Us
-
Research Report
Semiconductors
LED
Consumer Electronics
Emerging Technologies
- Selected Topics
- Membership
- Price Trends
- Press Center
- News
- Events
- AI Agent
Global mobile DRAM revenue hit a new high of US$8 billion in 4Q17, a robust sequential growth of 23.6%, says DRAMeXchange, a division of TrendForce. In 4Q17, the major suppliers raised their prices by 10-15% on average, driven by expected strong demand from the smartphone market during the traditional busy season, and continuing brisk demands from North American datacenters.
The total server DRAM revenue of the top three DRAM suppliers (Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron) rose by 13.9% QoQ in 4Q17 on the back of rising average selling price (ASP), reports DRAMeXchange, a division of TrendForce. The supply of server DRAM has not kept pace with the demand even as suppliers have assigned more capacity to their server product lines. Furthermore, the data center projects in North America have been contributing to the strong demand growth.
According to DRAMeXchange, a division of TrendForce, the DRAM revenue for 4Q17 grew by 14.2% QoQ to a new high, and the DRAM revenue for the entire 2017 grew by 76% YoY.
The climbing prices of DRAM over the past six quarters have added the cost pressures of Chinese smartphone brands. As the result, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has expressed concerns to Samsung at the end of 2017. And the intervention is expected to moderate the price increases of mobile DRAM in 1Q18, according DRAMeXchange, a research division of TrendForce. It is said that Samsung Electronics, backed by Korean government, is signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NDRC. The MOU is believed to include details of further cooperation in semiconductor industry, such as expanding the investment in China and technical collaboration.
Despite rollout of full-screen models by major smartphone brands in 4Q17 to stimulate market demand, consumers have been less willing to make purchases amid the saturating market, mobile phone sales have been lower than expected, according DRAMeXchange, a research division of TrendForce. Coupled with the climbing prices of mobile DRAM over the past year and a profit squeeze, major brands have adjusted their production plans and deferred restocking of materials since mid 4Q17. Some key components including mobile DRAM have excess inventory. In 1Q18, the traditional off-season, smartphone vendors are expected to decrease the demand, resulting in a mere 3% rise of the contract prices.
