AI Boom Weakens Apple’s DRAM Bargaining Power, Supply Security Now Priority

Apple's leverage in DRAM pricing is eroding as surging AI demand reshapes the memory market. The company is shifting its procurement strategy from securing the best price to guaranteeing supply, according to industry reports.

Memory makers prioritize AI server chips

DRAM prices are forecast to rise 194% in 2026 compared to the previous year, while NAND prices are expected to increase 244%. The price surge is driven by AI server demand that consumes large amounts of LPDDR memory through SOCAMM modules.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has acknowledged that DRAM supply is tightening and prices are rising. An anonymous semiconductor industry executive said, "Contracts are based on trust." A semiconductor industry source noted that memory makers are no longer developing LPDDR products with the highest reliability and capacity for personal devices.

The three major DRAM manufacturers — Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron — are prioritizing AI server memory over mobile DRAM, according to the source. Reports from JoongAng Ilbo, KB Securities, and Hana Securities indicate that executives from Apple, Amazon, Google, and Dell have been staying in Gyeonggi-do for extended periods, though this has not been officially confirmed.