Memory contract prices are poised for another sharp rise in the third quarter of 2026, even after several quarters of hikes have already begun to weaken consumer demand. Industry sources said hopes for a clear slowdown have faded, as upstream suppliers have signalled increases of around 30%, with enterprise SSD and server RDIMM prices likely to rise by more than 30%.
Memory module maker Transcend Information reported consolidated revenue of NT$5.07 billion (approx. US$138.66 million) for June 2026. Revenue declined 19.5% from the previous month due to customer inventory adjustments at the end of the quarter, but it still surged 381.6% compared with June 2025.
Global markets are likely to feel the effects of a renewed rise in memory prices, as tighter supply and early inventory buying lift DRAM and NAND prices again in mid-June 2026. The trend could ripple through smartphones, PCs, and servers, while Apple's possible sourcing shifts may influence pricing across the wider semiconductor industry.
The global high-bandwidth memory market is expected to pivot from HBM3E to HBM4 in the second half of 2026, setting up a sharper contest for market share among Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology.
SK Group, Samsung Electronics, and Amkor will invest a combined KRW896 trillion (US$585.2 billion) to build South Korea's second major semiconductor production base in the country's southwest, the industry ministry said.
South Korea is considering exempting research and development personnel from the country's 52-hour workweek limit inside proposed Mega Special Zones. These would include a planned second semiconductor cluster in the southwestern Honam region.
Samsung Electronics is negotiating with customers to raise average selling prices for commodity DRAM by as much as 20% in the third quarter of 2026 from the prior quarter, according to ZDNet Korea, which cited industry sources.
As Moore's Law approaches its physical limits, simply shrinking semiconductor process nodes is no longer the sole path to improving chip performance.
SEMI has warned the Trump administration that intervening in memory-chip pricing or production capacity could worsen a historic supply shortage driven by the artificial intelligence boom.
Apple is reportedly planning to launch at least five new models by this time next year, with the company expanding its foldables' production. Amid surging component prices and a weakening smartphone market, these moves may be a bid to gain market share while rivals are on the back foot.
China's memory price rally continues to gather momentum. Giantec Semiconductor Corporation, a Chinese NOR flash supplier, recently notified its distribution partners that prices for its entire NOR flash memory product portfolio will increase by 25% beginning July 6, 2026. The new pricing will apply to both newly signed orders and outstanding orders that have yet to be delivered.
Samsung Group detailed plans on July 2 to invest KRW140 trillion (US$90 billion) in display panels, batteries, chips, and chip materials in South Korea's central Chungcheong region.
