SK Hynix warns memory shortages could persist through 2030
Long-term agreements give 14 major buyers priority access to supplies but still allow prices to change with market conditions, The Register reported.
Apple supplier SK Hynix expects demand for RAM and flash memory to exceed supply through 2030, keeping prices elevated. The company said artificial intelligence is driving demand, while expanding production remains difficult in the short to medium term.
SK Hynix cited challenges in advanced manufacturing processes and the time needed to construct production facilities as constraints on supply. It expects those obstacles to sustain the imbalance between available memory and customer demand.
The Register reported that 14 large technology customers have long-term priority purchasing agreements covering more than half of SK Hynix's output during 2027 and 2028. Some buyers want to extend the arrangements. However, the contracts permit price adjustments tied to market conditions within ranges agreed with customers, rather than guaranteeing fixed prices.
Separately, Nikkei Asia reported that printed circuit boards could also face supply constraints. Increasing layer counts and bandwidth requirements have made the boards more specialized, reducing the number of suppliers able to produce them and lengthening delivery times, according to the report.
