DRAMeXchange said in a report that Apple is expected to use 25 percent of the global flash memory output with its iPod and iPhone products. This will likely lead to higher flash memory prices:
DRAMeXchange said it would take about two to three quarters before manufacturers can raise their chip yield rates to a higher level.
"A flash chip shortage will occur in the third quarter. Flash prices are thus projected to continue rising," it said.
The average spot price of an 8-gigabit NAND flash memory chip was $10.87 Wednesday, down 2.7% from Tuesday, according to DRAMeXchange. At the beginning of this year, these chips were fetching $9.03 each.
Major chip makers including Samsung, Toshiba Corp. (6502.TO) and Hynix Semiconductor Inc. (000660.SE) have been hopeful that new products from Apple and other mobile handset makers would help boost their business for the remainder of this year.
