Memory makers forcing DRAM/NAND bundles upon clients

DigiTimes writes unnamed memory makers are forcing their clients to buy DRAM chips bundled with certain amounts of NAND flash memory. The site says this is the result of the downward pressure on NAND flash memory prices. It's expected that the new sales tactic will form a major point in memory price negotiations in the first half of this year. NAND flash memory supply is expected to grow stronger than demand this year, but DRAM continues to look troublesome.

Chipmakers already improved yield rates for their 64- or 72-layer 3D NAND chips, and scaled up their output, the sources said. NAND flash prices have started to fall due to a substantial increase in supply.

Global NAND flash bit demand is expected to grow 37.7% in 2018, but the supply side will see a larger 42.9%, the sources quoted unspecified market research firm as saying.

On the contrary, DRAM prices continue to soar in 2018, the sources indicated. As chipmakers build additional DRAM production capacities only through technology transitions, the global supply of the memory will continue to grow at a slow pace during the year.