Currently, NAND flash suppliers are conservative on market demand and capex figures for 2013, relying instead on technology migration to increase bit output, strengthening cost competitiveness to reduce losses due to price decline. TrendForce forecasts NAND flash market bit supply will increase from 14,858 M 16Gb equiv. in 2012 to 20,960 M 16Gb equiv. in 2013, a 41.1% YoY increase...
Looking at the global mobile DRAM market in the third quarter of 2012, with the decline of the PC industry, global DRAM industry revenue fell by 8.5% in the third quarter of 2012. Regardless, top-tier memory makers continue expanding in the mobile DRAM sector, and mobile DRAM output is expected to account for 21% of total DRAM production this year, and 26% in 2013. As for price, the mobile DRAM contract price decline eased to a 5% drop this quarter, a significant improvement over the average decrease of 10-15% in the first half of the year. As mobile DRAM output continues to increase, revenue has seen 15.4% growth since the previous quarter...
Affected by global economic instability, many NAND flash suppliers are adopting a conservative outlook towards the NAND flash market in 2H12; NAND flash manufacturers’ 2012 bit output growth comes mainly from process technology migration. Recently, several NAND flash makers have either temporarily reduced capacity utilization rate and suspended or slowed original capacity expansion plans for 2H12, or reallocated NAND flash production lines to the manufacture of other IC products. Slowed 2H12 bit growth and reduced capex figures will help close the NAND flash market supply-demand gap in 2H12...
As a result of strong smartphone shipments worldwide and the rise of tablet PCs, mobile DRAM demand grew significantly in 2Q12. While mobile DRAM contract price fell by approximately 10% in 1Q12, total mobile DRAM revenue unexpectedly climbed 12.4%. As for 2Q market share, Samsung remained in the lead with nearly 60% of the global mobile memory market, putting the Korean manufacturers’ combined market share at 77.5%, a 1.1% QoQ decrease. Third-place maker Elpida’s market share fell by 0.8% QoQ to 13.9%, while Micron, benefitting from low to mid-end smartphone growth, came in fourth as its market share climbed to 6.7%...
Mobile Devices Flourish in 2012; Apple, Google, Microsoft Lead the Craze...
Affected by the uncertainty of global economic recovery, NAND flash suppliers are conservative towards the 1H12 market. Therefore, suppliers’ bit growth comes mainly from process technology migration in 2012. Reducing the supply and demand gap and strengthening cost competitiveness will lower the impact of price decline to profitability, and makers will continue phasing out 200mm wafer equipment in 2012...
On May 8, Elpida revealed Micron as the winner of bidding for the right to negotiate exclusively to buy the Japanese DRAM maker. Three major DRAM teams are emerging in the industry - after Micron and Elpida have integrated, their combined market share will bring the Micron team’s figure (Micron, Inotera, Elpida, and Rexchip) to nearly 24%, surpassing SK Hynix’s 23.9% to become second only to memory giant Samsung.The tri-national alliance will combine the strengths of each – Micron’s flash products, Elpida’s mobile DRAM, and the Taiwanese makers’ manufacturing skills – presenting a formidable opponent to the Korean heavyweights. The DRAM industry is officially headed towards becoming an oligopolistic market with three major players dominating the industry. This will help DRAM chip price gradually return to a healthy state, and the competitive price-slashing will be a thing of the past...
Due to uncertainties concerning global economic recovery, many NAND Flash suppliers are conservative towards the 1H12 market. Therefore, to strengthen cost competitiveness, 1H12 bit growth will mainly be focused on process technology migration in order to help reduce oversupply and ease the impact of price decreases on profitability. Beginning in 2H12, 300mm wafer capacity will be added according to market demand. Mainstream process technology will advance from the 2xnm class in 2H11 to the 2ynm class in 2H12. TrendForce forecasts global NAND Flash bit supply volume will grow by 70.6% YoY, from 9,181 M 16Gb equiv. in 2011 to 15,663 M 16Gb equiv...
Samsung’s mobile DRAM market share was 54%, helping Korean makers take nearly 75% of the global market. Due to the rising popularity of smartphones and tablet PCs, first-tier DRAM makers increased their mobile DRAM output ratios. With continuously strong mobile DRAM shipments, Samsung was the sole semiconductor manufacturer to remain profitable in 4Q11. As for mobile DRAM price, 4Q11 saw a 10% QoQ decrease, with LPDDR2 8Gb ASP at approximately US$17.4. As 1Q12 coincides with the traditional weak shipment season, mobile DRAM price will continue on the downtrend and is expected to decrease by 15-20%...