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Q&A with Micron's VP and GM of Memory

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Re: Q&A with Micron's VP and GM of Memory

#11

Post by [deleted] »

jdw64 wrote: post #5
wewewedxfgdf wrote: post #4

Here's a question for the VP: "Are memory manufacturers a tight oligopoly engaging in tacit price collusion?"

Usually, companies like Apple are largely to blame. [1]The memory market is said to be an oligopoly on the supply side, but Apple's low pricing and poor margins led to a halt in industry investment. In fact, there were reports in my country, Korea, that SK Hynix was cutting back on electricity usage.(during the downcycle, that is.) The problem is that while AI has increased memory consumption and brought an upcycle,…

[deleted]

Re: Q&A with Micron's VP and GM of Memory

#12

Post by rudedogg »

jdw64 wrote: post #5
wewewedxfgdf wrote: post #4

Here's a question for the VP: "Are memory manufacturers a tight oligopoly engaging in tacit price collusion?"

Usually, companies like Apple are largely to blame. [1]The memory market is said to be an oligopoly on the supply side, but Apple's low pricing and poor margins led to a halt in industry investment. In fact, there were reports in my country, Korea, that SK Hynix was cutting back on electricity usage.(during the downcycle, that is.) The problem is that while AI has increased memory consumption and brought an upcycle,…

Any thoughts on the latest price fixing allegations?: https://en.sedaily.com/international/2026/06/29/samsung-sk-h...

Re: Q&A with Micron's VP and GM of Memory

#13

Post by jdw64 »

rudedogg wrote: post #12
jdw64 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Usually, companies like Apple are largely to blame. [1]The memory market is said to be an oligopoly on the supply side, but Apple's low pricing and poor margins led to a halt in industry investment. In fact, there were reports in my country, Korea, that SK Hynix was cutting back on electricity usage.(during the downcycle, that is.) The problem is that while AI has increased memory consumption and brought an upcycle,…

Any thoughts on the latest price fixing allegations?: https://en.sedaily.com/international/2026/06/29/samsung-sk-h...

It's a 'allegations,' right? It's not a 'verdict,' is it? I'm not American, so I'm not sure, but in the US, are 'It's a 'allegations,' right? It's not a 'verdict,' is it? I'm not American, so I'm not sure, but in the US, are 'suspicion' and 'confirmation' legally interpreted the same way? I'm genuinely asking because I don't know.

There are also cases where other companies back consumer lawsuits, right? In the end, I don't think it's too late even after a verdict comes out, but you might think differently. Here's my take:

In any case, both Apple and Micron are corporations. Both are capitalists, so they're not virtuous and they act in their own self-interest. The question is which side should bear more responsibility.

In my case, I think Apple bears more responsibility. You, on the other hand, seem to think the supplier's responsibility is greater. Either way, I respect your opinion.

Re: Q&A with Micron's VP and GM of Memory

#14

Post by wmf »

seemaze wrote: post #9
jdw64 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Usually, companies like Apple are largely to blame. [1]The memory market is said to be an oligopoly on the supply side, but Apple's low pricing and poor margins led to a halt in industry investment. In fact, there were reports in my country, Korea, that SK Hynix was cutting back on electricity usage.(during the downcycle, that is.) The problem is that while AI has increased memory consumption and brought an upcycle,…

Explain how this works when their phones only capture roughly 20% market share, and their computers only 10%. That is to say nothing of the demand for server memory. It seems like they only represent a fraction of the demand side, but wield an outsized influence over supply?

For example, if iPhone unit share is 20% but it has double the RAM compared to cheap phones that's ~40% byte share.

Re: Q&A with Micron's VP and GM of Memory

#15

Post by seemaze »

wmf wrote: post #14
seemaze wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Explain how this works when their phones only capture roughly 20% market share, and their computers only 10%. That is to say nothing of the demand for server memory. It seems like they only represent a fraction of the demand side, but wield an outsized influence over supply?

For example, if iPhone unit share is 20% but it has double the RAM compared to cheap phones that's ~40% byte share.

What is Apples share across all memory delivered? How does that compare with the 40% of wafers locked up by OpenAI?

I don’t know the answer to either. On the surface I would estimate Apple a large, but not majority consumer overall.

Re: Q&A with Micron's VP and GM of Memory

#16

Post by llama052 »

jdw64 wrote: post #13
rudedogg wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any thoughts on the latest price fixing allegations?: https://en.sedaily.com/international/2026/06/29/samsung-sk-h...

It's a 'allegations,' right? It's not a 'verdict,' is it? I'm not American, so I'm not sure, but in the US, are 'It's a 'allegations,' right? It's not a 'verdict,' is it? I'm not American, so I'm not sure, but in the US, are 'suspicion' and 'confirmation' legally interpreted the same way? I'm genuinely asking because I don't know. There are also cases where other companies back consumer lawsuits, right? In the end, I…

The big memory companies have been caught price fixing and been fined for it historically. So I’d wager that it’s bound to repeat itself. As far as Apple being to blame, that’s a weird conclusion.

Re: Q&A with Micron's VP and GM of Memory

#17

Post by musicale »

jdw64 wrote: post #5
wewewedxfgdf wrote: post #4

Here's a question for the VP: "Are memory manufacturers a tight oligopoly engaging in tacit price collusion?"

Usually, companies like Apple are largely to blame. [1]The memory market is said to be an oligopoly on the supply side, but Apple's low pricing and poor margins led to a halt in industry investment. In fact, there were reports in my country, Korea, that SK Hynix was cutting back on electricity usage.(during the downcycle, that is.) The problem is that while AI has increased memory consumption and brought an upcycle,…

> “Apple should certainly be blamed for deteriorating the supply and demand cycle in the global NAND flash market,” The Korea Times quotes an un-named industry official as saying. The article goes on to say that the Apple iPhone is proving less popular in China, Japan and South Korea than it has in the West.

Re: Q&A with Micron's VP and GM of Memory

#18

Post by ksec »

seemaze wrote: post #9
jdw64 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Usually, companies like Apple are largely to blame. [1]The memory market is said to be an oligopoly on the supply side, but Apple's low pricing and poor margins led to a halt in industry investment. In fact, there were reports in my country, Korea, that SK Hynix was cutting back on electricity usage.(during the downcycle, that is.) The problem is that while AI has increased memory consumption and brought an upcycle,…

Explain how this works when their phones only capture roughly 20% market share, and their computers only 10%. That is to say nothing of the demand for server memory. It seems like they only represent a fraction of the demand side, but wield an outsized influence over supply?

> Explain....

They are the largest customer. You don't annoy you largest customer. DRAM manufacture don't care whether the RAM are for Laptop or Phone. And Samsung + Apple combined is nearly 50% of the phone market. The rest are split up between many Chinese companies.

It may be surprising to some having a short / long term contract of DRAM may actually be more expensive than spot price of DRAM. Smaller manufacture likes to take advantage of spot price, since their shipment are usually volatile. Compare to Apple which has been shipping their products and selling them like clock work. Hence Apple will need these contract signed to have guarantee of supply.

And when you are the largest customer for all three DRAM manufactures, they get to play the game better than anyone else.

Re: Q&A with Micron's VP and GM of Memory

#19

Post by ksec »

llama052 wrote: post #16
jdw64 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a 'allegations,' right? It's not a 'verdict,' is it? I'm not American, so I'm not sure, but in the US, are 'It's a 'allegations,' right? It's not a 'verdict,' is it? I'm not American, so I'm not sure, but in the US, are 'suspicion' and 'confirmation' legally interpreted the same way? I'm genuinely asking because I don't know. There are also cases where other companies back consumer lawsuits, right? In the end, I…

The big memory companies have been caught price fixing and been fined for it historically. So I’d wager that it’s bound to repeat itself. As far as Apple being to blame, that’s a weird conclusion.

>caught price fixing

Literally every other commodity market with only a few players will have price fixing by the definition of those verdict. Since there are limited customer in the market and limited supply. Even without the player actively asking what others are buying or selling the market over time will naturally arrives at an equilibrium.

Re: Q&A with Micron's VP and GM of Memory

#20

Post by ksec »

objclxt wrote: post #7
jdw64 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Usually, companies like Apple are largely to blame. [1]The memory market is said to be an oligopoly on the supply side, but Apple's low pricing and poor margins led to a halt in industry investment. In fact, there were reports in my country, Korea, that SK Hynix was cutting back on electricity usage.(during the downcycle, that is.) The problem is that while AI has increased memory consumption and brought an upcycle,…

> Usually, companies like Apple are largely to blame Just as a point of fact, Micron and its peers have in the past operated an illegal cartel that engaged in a price fixing conspiracy to manipulate the cost of RAM. > mega-buyers like Apple caused various issues, and the production equipment that was scaled back during that time is now leading to supply shortages in the upcycle [2]. Apple fans probably won't admit it…

>That's Micron's problem. Nobody held a gun to their heads and made them accept the prices Apple was offering. Micron willingly took those deals.

Then they risk losing Apple as a customer, with empty Fabs running which cost them most money. And pile of stock unable to be covered by any other player in the market.

The power is over at the buy side. The sell side have very little leverage. Hence they some times come together, and then they were called price fixing.

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