Reviewing the NAND flash market in the third quarter, strong demand from Apple's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus helped balance out excess NAND flash supply and resulted in a 5-6% QoQ increase in average NAND flash contract price. NAND flash suppliers' operating margins were generally better than in the second quarter...
The three major memory manufacturers were ready for the third-quarter arrival of the iPhone 6, adjusting their production capacities to meet Apple's immense demand for mobile memory. The reduction in commodity DRAM production caused contract prices to rise, and commodity memory products had the highest margins in the third quarter. As a result, DRAM industry value reached US$12.0 billion, an 11% increase over the second quarter and a new quarterly revenue record. As memory makers' production ratios are well adjusted and they continue to increase next-generation output, their profitability is expected to see further improvement. Samsung is at the head of the pack with its operating margin at 42%, while SK Hynix is close behind at 40%. Micron, still using the 30nm process as its main technology, had a gross margin of 24.1%. However, with the DRAM oligopoly, profits are expected to remain stable and DRAM industry value is projected to reach US$46.1 billion in 2014 and US$52.0 billion in 2015, for 13% YoY growth...