"The rapid expansion of artificial-intelligence infrastructure is triggering a global memory chip shortage, as factories prioritize chips for hyperscalers over the kinds used in laptops and smartphones.

The shortage is set to have far-reaching global ramifications. The world’s two biggest memory chipmakers, South Korean companies Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, are making record sales. New memory chip plants are being announced in countries including Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan. China, facing U.S. export controls, is racing to catch up in memory technology.

The trend is expected to push up prices for consumer electronics globally, threatening the profitability of low-cost smartphones.

Here’s how this memory crunch is playing out."

https://restofworld.org/2026/ai-memory-chip-explainer/

#AI #MemoryChips #ConsumerElectronics #Smartphones

ByteDance is teaming up with Samsung to build custom AI chips and secure a limited supply of high‑bandwidth memory. The move could reshape AI infrastructure, giving the Chinese platform a hardware edge in machine‑learning workloads and competing with the likes of OpenAI. Read on for the details on this semiconductor partnership. #AIchips #ByteDance #Samsung #MemoryChips

🔗 https://aidailypost.com/news/bytedance-taps-samsung-custom-ai-chips-scarce-memory-supply

Memory chip costs are surging 📈 and even Apple's supply chain muscle can't fully cushion the blow. The iPhone 18 series could see price increases of $50-$100 on higher-storage models, though base variants may stay untouched 💰. Read the article to find out how rising DRAM and chipset costs are reshaping pricing strategies.

https://true-tech.net/iphone-18-price-hike-rumors/

#iPhone18 #Apple #MemoryChips #TechNews #SmartphonePricing

https://true-tech.net/iphone-18-price-hike-rumors/

Smartphone prices likely to rise in 2026 as AI strains memory supply

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://dailytimes.com.pk/1428358/smartphone-prices-likely-to-rise-in-2026-as-ai-strains-memory-supply/

"If you’re wondering why you’ll be paying more for a new PC or smartphone next year, Micron’s MU -3.01%decrease; red down pointing triangle latest financial results provide a big clue.

The maker of memory chips posted record revenue and operating income for its fiscal first quarter late Wednesday; revenue jumped 57% year over year to $13.6 billion. That follows several quarters of strong growth for both metrics. Fueling the growth: demand for artificial intelligence systems that is sharply boosting sales of the specialized type of memory those products need.

And the party seems far from over. Micron projected that sales will more than double to a record of $18.7 billion in the current quarter ending in February, while adjusted operating income will surge more than fivefold to $11.3 billion.

Analysts were expecting a strong forecast given sharply rising memory prices being reported by industry groups and Micron’s rivals over the past couple of months. But even they undershot. Micron’s revenue forecast beat Wall Street’s consensus target by 31%—the highest such beat in at least five years, according to FactSet.

That explains why a stock that has already more than doubled in the past year rose another 8% in after-hours trading Wednesday."

https://www.wsj.com/tech/microns-blowout-results-are-bad-news-for-anyone-buying-a-new-phone-or-pc-next-year-1b303c09

#AI #Micron #MemoryChips #Hardware