Apple cannot do without Samsung.

The iPhone 17 Pro lineup is displayed in an Apple store. Photo: Bloomberg .

According to the Korea Economic Daily , Apple is increasing its memory purchases from Samsung due to rising component prices. This means Apple will become more dependent on Samsung to ensure a stable supply.

The latest plan indicates that Samsung will supply approximately 60-70% of the low-power LPDDR5X memory for the iPhone 17. Previously, the supply ratio between Samsung and SK Hynix was equal, with Micron accounting for a smaller share.

Apple has never publicly disclosed the percentage of memory suppliers. However, recent iPhone reviews suggest that SK Hynix memory is used more frequently.

Many speculate that SK Hynix even held a larger supply share during the 2012-2018 period, when Apple and Samsung were embroiled in patent litigation. However, the situation could change as Apple seeks to secure memory supplies for its 230 million iPhones produced annually.

According to MacRumors , the change is happening amid a global memory supply shortage. iPhones use LPDDR (Low-Power Double Data Rate) memory, which is optimized for mobile devices due to its energy efficiency and heat dissipation.

Although Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron all produce LPDDR memory in large quantities, industry sources indicate that SK Hynix and Micron are shifting their capabilities towards high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is widely used in data centers and AI infrastructure.

This situation has led to limitations in LPDDR memory production capacity, contributing to shortages and price increases. Conversely, Samsung has maintained its DRAM memory production for mobile devices and electronics in general.

Apple reportedly has its own set of specifications, which are higher than the usual industry standards. For example, in addition to high efficiency, the memory supplied to the company must maintain equivalent performance for a minimum of tens of millions of units.

Apple's hardware is said to be highly sensitive to voltage spikes. Even the latest A19 and A19 Pro chips can't handle them well. This puts pressure on partners to produce memory with similar performance on a large scale.

Data shows that the price of 12GB LPDDR5X memory, the type used in the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro, has increased sharply since the beginning of this year ( $30 to around $70 ). Samsung's memory is 0.65mm thick, the thinnest among currently available LPDDR5 products, in addition to improved heat resistance and power consumption of 21.2% and 25% respectively compared to the previous generation.

Sources indicate that Samsung is the only partner capable of meeting Apple's requirements regarding memory quality, production volume, and delivery time, given SK Hynix's shift towards the HBM line. The company also plans to use Samsung memory for the iPhone 18 next year.

According to MacRumors , Apple's scale of operations and long-standing negotiating experience may help it avoid price increases in the short term. However, reliability and quantity commitments from suppliers remain crucial.

Shifting the majority of its memory orders to Samsung could help Apple secure a stable supply and balance economic efficiency even as costs rise. This could also significantly boost Samsung's profits.

Source: https://znews.vn/apple-tang-cuong-phu-thuoc-vao-samsung-post1613582.html