According to DRAMeXchange, a research division of TrendForce, the 2H13 DRAM prices were initially expected to weaken due to SK Hynix's gradual recovery from the fire accident and the sluggish demand in the market. However, with one of the first tier PC DRAM makers experiencing various shipment delays and resorting to other DRAM manufacturers for orders, the 2H'Nov contract prices experienced a positive turnaround. The highest price and average of 4GB mainstream modules have showed an estimated 3% increase and reached US$ 35 and US$ 33, respectively. For the 2GB modules, the prices reached up to as high as US$ 18.5 given the massive reductions in its supply.
Spurred by LED lighting and mobile device market demands, sapphire substrate manufacturers have been actively expanding their production capacity, according to TrendForce subsidiary LEDinside’s “Global Sapphire Substrate Market 2013” research report. The top five sapphire ingot manufacturers for instance, have seen 2-inch equiv. sapphire substrate monthly production capacity grow by 75% to 7800Kmm compared to 2012.
Affected by intensified competition and increased financial pressures, the renowned US-based SSD company, OCZ Technology, declared bankruptcy on 11/27 and announced its plans to sell assets to the Japanese NAND Flash manufacturer, Toshiba. The acquisition proposal has officially been approved by US courts, and for now, OCZ’s operations remain unchanged. As the merger begins to take place, more and more changes are expected to emerge in the SSD industry.
