Overview
- Executives from Microsoft, Google and Meta have traveled to South Korea to pursue long-term supply deals with Samsung and SK Hynix, with talks described as difficult.
- Major buyers are placing open-ended, high-price orders to secure scarce HBM, reinforcing a seller’s market controlled by top memory makers.
- Google has reportedly dismissed a procurement executive after failing to lock in sufficient HBM, with its TPU program heavily dependent on the technology and a large share sourced from Samsung.
- ASUS is reportedly preparing to start in-house DRAM production in Q2 2026 to support its TUF and ROG lines, signaling a potential vertical shift to safeguard supply.
- Price pressures are spilling into consumer products, with reports indicating Apple is paying up to a 230% premium for LPDDR5X memory.