Apple Accepts Samsung’s Full‑Price RAM Deal Amid Claims of Negotiation Tactics

Apple’s acceptance of Samsung’s 100 % price hike for LPDDR5X memory underscores how the global DRAM shortage has eroded the tech giant’s historic bargaining power. According to a report from Korean outlet Dealsite, Apple “agreed to pay Samsung twice as much” for the 12 GB LPDDR5X modules that power the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro, a jump from roughly $30 per chip in early 2025 to about $70 today. The same source says Samsung originally intended to ask for a 60 % increase but opened negotiations with a full‑price markup as a tactical ploy, which Apple accepted “on the spot.” Industry insiders cited by 9to5Mac confirm the strategy, noting that Samsung’s DS division set a “goal of increasing the price … by about 60 %” before presenting the 100 % demand, and Apple’s immediate consent “shows how desperate smartphone companies are to secure memory inventory.”

The price surge reflects a broader shift in semiconductor capacity toward AI‑focused high‑bandwidth memory (HBM). SK Hynix and Micron have redirected significant wafer output to HBM for data‑center servers, leaving mobile DRAM in “extremely short supply,” as Dealsite’s sources explain. Samsung’s own mobile division is feeling the pinch; the report adds that Galaxy S26 production is split 50/50 between Samsung and Micron, with both suppliers planning “steep price increases after the first batch.” Samsung is expected to offset its higher component costs by increasing the share of its in‑house Exynos 2600 SoC to roughly 30 % of S26 units, a move that could also pressure Apple’s supply chain if the company continues to rely heavily on Samsung for its flagship memory.

Apple’s willingness to absorb the doubled cost may be a calculated gamble to keep the iPhone 17 rollout on schedule. The iPhone 17 line, slated for launch in early March, already includes a new “iPhone Air” model that uses the same 12 GB LPDDR5X chips, and any delay in memory delivery could cascade into missed launch windows and inventory shortfalls. Ming‑Chi Kuo, Apple’s longtime analyst, recently hinted that Apple plans to retain the 12 GB configuration for the iPhone 18 Pro, suggesting the company is betting on a stable, high‑capacity memory supply despite the price shock. While Kuo’s forecast is not a direct quote from the current negotiations, it illustrates the strategic importance Apple places on maintaining its premium‑tier specifications.

Financial analysts are already factoring the higher component expense into Apple’s upcoming earnings guidance. The Wall Street consensus had projected a modest margin compression for fiscal Q1 2026, but a full‑price RAM hike could deepen that squeeze, especially as Apple’s hardware margins already face pressure from rising labor costs in China and the need to fund new product introductions, such as the rumored iPhone 17 E and additional MacBook refreshes reported by CNET. If Apple’s cost of goods sold climbs by the reported $40 per RAM module, the impact on per‑unit profitability could be significant given the iPhone’s high sales volume.

Finally, the episode may signal a longer‑term recalibration of Apple’s supplier strategy. Historically, the company leveraged competing bids from multiple memory vendors to extract discounts, a tactic that 9to5Mac describes as “Apple’s reputation as an extremely hard‑nosed negotiator.” With the DRAM market now constrained, Apple may be forced to diversify beyond Samsung and Micron, perhaps courting emerging players in the Asian fabless space or accelerating its own in‑house silicon initiatives. Until the supply crunch eases, however, the immediate priority appears to be securing the chips needed for the iPhone 17 launch, even at double the price.