The fire at SK Hynix’s Wuxi fab had a significant impact on the NAND flash market in the third quarter, and will continue to do so in the fourth quarter. Some memory suppliers reallocated NAND flash capacity to DRAM in the wake of the fire, and the reduced output helped stabilize the NAND flash price trend in September and eased oversupply in the fourth quarter. However, the demand outlook is conservative, TrendForce expects short-term NAND flash industry growth will be limited...
In the second quarter, NAND flash bit output only increased 8.4% QoQ since suppliers did not expand capacity. Furthermore, as manufacturers reduced supply to channel clients to help stabilize the market, smartphone and tablet shipments were as expcted. With healthy supply and demand, second-quarter NAND flash contract price was roughly the same as the previous quarter...
As smartphone shipments increased 7% in the second quarter and commodity DRAM prices rose, mobile memory prices climbed as well. Mobile DRAM revenue amounted to nearly US$3.0 billion, an 11% QoQ increase, 34% of global DRAM revenue...
DRAM contract price increased by 16% in the second quarter, with DDR3 4GB price hitting US$27.50. Although PC shipments are traditionally weak in the second quarter, PC OEMs’ DRAM inventory levels were insufficient in the second quarter and they expected prices to rise in the third quarter. Furthermore, as first-tier DRAM makers like Samsung and SK Hynix are increasing mobile memory production and decreasing commodity DRAM output, second-quarter prices rose. However, as PC shipment outlook is weak for the second half of the year, DRAM contract price growth slowed at the end of the second quarter, creating uncertainty towards third-quarter figures. Furthermore, as PC OEMs’ inventory levels are climbing, TrendForce expects contract price to stay flat or even decrease in the second half of the year...
Samsung’s and Apple’s Smartphone Spotlight Fades as Shipment of China Brand Smartphones Increase
Samsung’s and Apple’s Smartphone Spotlight Fades as Shipment of China Brand Smartphones Increase...
Although NAND flash demand fell by 5-10% in the first quarter due to seasonality, bit growth only increased by 8% QoQ as a result of suppliers slowing capacity expansion plans to decrese output. Thus, the sufficiency ratio fell to 2.8% in the first quarter, keeping NAND flash contract prices at a healthy level...
Looking at global mobile DRAM revenue in the second quarter, the Korean suppliers remain in the lead in terms of capacity and process technology, and their combined revenue represents 77.5% of the industry total. As the market oligopoly has been established, the mobile DRAM revenue ranking for the first quarter was similar to that of the previous quarter. The mobile memory market is not expected to see major changes until after the merger between Micron and Elpida is complete in the second half of the year...