Samsung Electronics' DS division reportedly plans to raise DRAM and NAND prices for smartphone makers by 7-10%. Chinese smartphone makers are first in line, with negotiations already underway. Apple will be asked back to the negotiating table in Q4 (October-December). Even Samsung's own smartphone division will not be spared, as the DS and DX divisions operate separately.

Apple may prove a tough negotiator. Analysts estimate that Apple buys twice as much NAND for its smartphones as Samsung and three times as much as Xiaomi, giving it significant leverage. However, Samsung, along with SK Hynix and Micron, is enjoying strong profits from high-margin memory like HBM and server DRAM, leading memory fabs to prioritize these products over LPDDR needed for smartphones.

According to market research firm Omdia, DRAM and NAND prices have surged since last year and will continue rising, though at a slower pace. Omdia predicts prices will remain high until the first half of 2027. The cost of an 8GB/256GB combo is projected to reach $140 by Q3 2026, while the 12GB/512GB configuration could hit $202.