TECH NEWS – The South Korean company has reportedly taken the lead in DRAM supply for current iPhones and is expected to play the same role for next year’s lineup.
Despite being one of the world’s most valuable companies, Apple is not immune to the ongoing global DRAM shortage. With long-term agreements with Samsung and SK Hynix reportedly set to expire early next year, the Cupertino giant had to move quickly to avoid rising prices. According to recent reports, Apple has strengthened its partnership with Samsung, effectively making the South Korean firm its largest DRAM supplier, covering an estimated 60–70% of shipments.
This shift affects not only the current iPhone 17 lineup but is also expected to carry over to the upcoming iPhone 18 family. While Apple currently sources DRAM chips from Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, future models are likely to rely on a single dominant supplier for the majority of their memory components.
Although SK Hynix remains an important part of Apple’s supply chain, the company is reportedly focusing more heavily on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production. Samsung, on the other hand, has previously indicated that it is shifting its emphasis from HBM to DDR5 and LPDDR5X solutions to maximize profitability.
Rumors suggest that the iPhone 18 lineup will launch in the third quarter, possibly around September, and will feature six-channel LPDDR5X memory to boost bandwidth and AI-related performance. At present, Samsung appears to be the only manufacturer capable of delivering both the volume and the quality demanded by Apple, whose DRAM requirements reportedly exceed JEDEC standards.
The A19, A19 Pro, as well as next year’s A20 and A20 Pro chipsets do not tolerate instantaneous voltage spikes, further narrowing the pool of viable suppliers. Samsung’s 12 GB LPDDR5X chips are just 0.65 mm thick, offer a 21.2% improvement in heat resistance, and reduce power consumption by 25%, making them particularly attractive for thin mobile devices.
The current DRAM shortage is expected to significantly boost Samsung’s operating profit, which is projected to reach $73 billion by 2026. Prices for 12 GB LPDDR5X chips have reportedly risen from $30 at the start of the year to as much as $70. Apple is likely to offset these costs through large-volume orders for the iPhone 17 and iPhone 18, while reducing expenses elsewhere thanks to mass production of its A-series SoCs and C2 5G modems.
