RAM is too expensive, Samsung refuses to sell to Samsung

Huge demand from AI databases is "devouring" the memory industry. Photo: Chris Martin/Foundry .

Recently, Samsung Group fell into an "ironic" situation when the semiconductor manufacturing unit refused to supply DRAM chips to its own phone manufacturing division.

Meanwhile, Micron’s announcement that it is pulling out of the consumer market entirely to focus its manufacturing capacity on the enterprise segment underscores the deep uncertainty that is pervading the supply chain, a clear sign that AI profits have overshadowed all other priorities in the memory industry.

Samsung refuses to sell RAM to... Samsung

Amid the supply crunch caused by the “AI bubble,” RAM chips are becoming a high-value commodity, causing memory chip prices to skyrocket uncontrollably. A typical case of market instability is Samsung’s refusal to supply memory to Samsung itself.

Specifically, according to a report from SE Daily (cited by SamMobile ), Samsung Semiconductor (the group's chip manufacturing division) has rejected an order for smartphone DRAM chips from the mobile division of Samsung Electronics.

Samsung Electronics is working to secure memory chip supplies for its latest smartphone models, especially as the company prepares to launch the Galaxy S26 series.

However, facing fierce competition from AI data centers - which are willing to pay top prices for RAM, major memory manufacturers such as Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron are prioritizing supplying components to data center partners to maximize profits.

Samsung's two business divisions have had to renegotiate and finalize higher prices for memory chip supplies. Photo: Samsung.

Initially, the phone division hoped to lock in RAM components at a stable price and supply. However, sources said that due to “chip inflation,” the mobile division was forced to renegotiate quarterly. The long-term supply agreement was rejected by the internal chip division, and a short-term contract, with a higher price, was reportedly agreed upon.

If this information is correct, the price of Samsung phones and other mobile devices will likely increase. This trend is affecting the entire supply chain, forcing manufacturers to be on the defensive.

Raspberry Pi, a company known for keeping its prices as low as possible, has recently raised prices, citing memory costs as the main reason. Lenovo, the world's leading PC maker, is also actively stocking up on memory.

Micron closes retail division

In the context of market restructuring, Micron - one of the 3 largest DRAM manufacturers in the world, has made a decisive strategic decision: Closing the consumer brand Crucial in February 2026.

The move is a complete exit from the retail memory market after 29 years of operation. Micron will reallocate production capacity to prioritize production capacity for the surge in demand from the enterprise segment, as well as AI infrastructure.

"Micron has made the difficult decision to discontinue the Crucial business to improve supply and support for strategic customers in fast-growing segments," said Sumit Sadana, Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer at Micron Technology.

Cricial's closure will cede market share to Samsung and SK Hynix. Photo: Micron.

Micron’s shift reflects the current reality of the semiconductor industry. Micron says memory and storage demand from data centers has grown to the point where every product must be prioritized for large AI customers.

Meanwhile, the consumer segment, which has low profit margins, is fiercely competitive with other brands. Maintaining the Crucial product line in a volatile price environment makes it difficult for Micron to optimize its business, while the enterprise segment has long-term contracts, stable demand and high selling prices.

This decision has a direct impact on distribution partners. Memory manufacturers such as Corsair, G.Skill, Kingston and ADATA will have to compete more fiercely to win chip supply from Samsung and SK Hynix. This situation risks further price instability in 2026.

DRAM chip prices have increased more than 170% year-over-year. Micron’s shift of consumer wafers to enterprise orders will keep prices high through the first half of 2026.

Source: https://znews.vn/samsung-tu-choi-ban-ram-cho-chinh-samsung-post1608411.html