If you take a look at the market right now for memory , you might have noticed that prices have gone up. Either that or many retailers are running low on stock. Unfortunately, that isn’t going to ease up anytime soon. According to Samsung and SK Hynix, both companies are warning that computer and smartphone makers could face a shortage in memory chip supplies.
Samsung, SK Hynix warning of shortage in memory chip supplies
Speaking to analysts on a post-earnings call, head of DRAM marketing at SK Hynix Park Joon Deok was quoted as saying, “PC and mobile customers are having difficulties securing memory supplies, as they are being directly and indirectly affected by supply constraints and strong demand for server-related products.”
The company also suggested that their customers are already making adjustments to their shipment plans. “Due to a recent surge in memory chip prices, PC and mobile customers are adjusting purchase volumes. Some customers are taking a more conservative approach to shipment plans or considering adjusting (memory chip) specification in their price-sensitive product ranges.”
Research firms like IDC and Counterpoint believe that it could lead to a shrinkage in global smartphone sales by 2%. IDC also estimates that the PC market could shrink by 4.9%. This is a stark contrast to its 8.1% growth back in 2025. Even Samsung, who make and sell both smartphones and memory, warn that 2026 could be a challenging year.
What is going on?
In case you haven’t been following the news, we are expected to experience a shortage in memory components for the next few years . This is (no) thanks to the AI boom. It has resulted in a rise in data centers, many of which require high-bandwidth memory to operate. As a result, memory chip makers like Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix are prioritizing the production of these memory types.
It also means that consumer-facing memory, like those used in our smartphones and computers, could become a lower priority. This will result in a shortage, and as the law of supply and demand dictates, the greater the demand but the lower the supply, expect to see higher prices.
In fact, we’re already seeing it in action. The pricing of the Samsung Galaxy A07 was recently leaked , and it looks like it’s more expensive than its predecessor.
