SEOUL, July 04 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is seeking to raise DRAM prices by about 20 percent in the third quarter as memory chip demand continues to recover, according to a report by a Chinese financial news outlet on Saturday.
Chinese business publication Yicai reported, citing electronics industry executives and supply chain sources, that Samsung discussed higher DRAM contract prices with some customers in China last month and verbally notified them of the planned increase.
If implemented, the price hike could eventually feed through to higher costs for consumer electronics such as smartphones and personal computers, the report said.
The reported move comes as market expectations for a broader recovery in memory prices continue to strengthen amid improving demand for AI servers and a gradual rebound in the PC and smartphone markets.
Market research firm TrendForce recently forecast third-quarter contract DRAM prices would rise 13 percent to 18 percent from the previous quarter, while NAND flash prices are expected to increase 10 percent to 15 percent.
Chinese market research firm Qunzhi Consulting also projected that prices for LPDDR5X 8GB, a high-performance low-power DRAM widely used in smartphones and AI-enabled devices, would climb about 20 percent in the third quarter.
Samsung, the world's largest memory chip maker, has been expected to benefit from improving pricing conditions after a prolonged industry downturn, with memory manufacturers increasingly focusing on higher-value AI-related products and disciplined supply management.
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