Your Next iPhone Will Rely More on Samsung Memory as RAM Prices Surge
Apple is expected to deepen its partnership with Samsung as global memory prices continue to climb. While Samsung has long played a significant role in the iPhone supply chain, new industry reports suggest its involvement could expand substantially with upcoming iPhone models.
Apple Likely to Increase Memory Orders from Samsung
According to a report from The Korea Economic Daily, Apple is preparing to source a much larger portion of its iPhone memory from Samsung. For the iPhone 17 lineup, Samsung could supply nearly 60% to 70% of the low-power DRAM (LPDDR) used in production.
In previous iPhone generations, companies like SK Hynix handled a larger share of Apple’s memory needs, while Micron served as a secondary supplier. That balance is now shifting due to major changes in the global memory industry.
Why Other Memory Suppliers Are Falling Behind
The surge in artificial intelligence has dramatically increased demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is widely used in AI servers and data centers. As a result, SK Hynix and Micron are redirecting much of their manufacturing capacity toward HBM production.
This shift has limited the availability of LPDDR memory, which is essential for smartphones, including iPhones. With fewer suppliers focusing on mobile memory, Apple is facing tighter supply conditions.
Samsung, however, has continued large-scale production of mobile and general-purpose DRAM, putting it in a strong position to meet Apple’s strict requirements. Industry sources suggest Samsung may currently be the only supplier capable of delivering the volume and quality Apple needs.
Apple’s Hardware Demands Add More Pressure
Apple’s upcoming hardware, including the A19 and A19 Pro chips, is reportedly highly sensitive to even brief voltage fluctuations. This means Apple needs exceptionally stable and high-quality memory components, raising the bar for suppliers.
At the same time, memory prices have jumped sharply. A 12GB LPDDR5X module, used in devices like the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air, reportedly cost around $30 earlier this year. That same component now costs nearly $70, a significant increase that could impact smartphone pricing in 2026.
Can Apple Avoid Raising iPhone Prices?
Thanks to its massive scale and long-term supplier contracts, Apple is better protected from short-term price swings than most smartphone manufacturers. By placing more orders with Samsung, Apple can secure a more reliable supply and potentially negotiate better pricing despite rising component costs.
However, with memory prices nearly doubling, maintaining current iPhone prices will be challenging. Apple may absorb some of the costs to protect profit margins, but passing at least part of the increase to consumers seems likely.
What This Means for iPhone Buyers
Most iPhone users don’t care which company makes the internal components of their device. What truly matters is the final price. If Apple manages to keep iPhone prices steady despite rising memory costs, it would be a major win for consumers.
That said, with Samsung becoming an even more critical partner and component costs climbing fast, a price increase next year wouldn’t be surprising. For now, users can only hope Apple finds a way to balance performance, supply stability, and affordability.
FAQs
Why is Apple relying more on Samsung for iPhone memory?
Apple is turning to Samsung because other memory suppliers are focusing on AI-related high-bandwidth memory, limiting mobile RAM availability.
How much memory will Samsung supply for the iPhone 17?
Reports suggest Samsung could provide around 60% to 70% of the low-power DRAM used in the iPhone 17 series.
Why are iPhone memory prices increasing?
Rising demand for AI hardware has pushed memory manufacturers to prioritize data center components, causing shortages and higher prices for mobile RAM.
Will iPhone prices increase in the future?
While Apple may try to absorb some costs, the sharp rise in memory prices makes a future iPhone price increase possible.
What type of RAM is used in the iPhone 17?
The iPhone 17 is expected to use LPDDR5X memory, offering higher performance and better power efficiency.
