By now it should be pretty apparent that Apple is on a hell-bent drive to hammer the iPhone home. With the incredible 500,000+ unit first-week sales figures, we’re sure Apple is sittin’ pretty with all the iPhone orders that are likely still coming in. But, with all these new iPhone orders, Apple’s demand for supplies of NAND flash memory modules is steadily increasing. Hynix Semiconductors and Samsung Electronics are realizing logistical difficulties as they try to meet Apple’s demands.
DigiTimes is reporting that both Hynix and Samsung have started to hold more NAND module reserves for the iPhone-maker. That’s all well and good, except that the entire industry is starting to feel the strain on global solid-state memory stockpiles. Says DigiTimes, “Both Hynix and Samsung had informed their customers in late June that supply in July will be constrained, citing the fact that Apple is about to pre-stock NAND flash to meet the coming seasonal upturn.”
The boosted demand from Apple is likely not only a result of the iPhone’s success, but also stems from Apple’s practice of hoarding NAND modules over the summer months – in preparation for the device releases to arrive in the Fall. We’re thinking Apple could be stockpiling the memory modules in preparation for the launch of the Apple iPhone “nano” in Q4 of this year.
Apple appears to be the biggest player in the current NAND market and the entire industry is feeling the giant’s appetite for memory modules. Global supply shortages are being reported industry-wide, says DigitTimes, with second-tier manufacturers feeling a bigger hit than first-tier players.
Getting a little greedy are we, Apple? We can’t blame you, if we had a hit on our hands we’d want to milk it for every drop of success. But, damn, you’re hoarding of the entire globe’s NAND supply is kind of selfish, don’t you think? You remind us of our little brother that always ate all the drumsticks before we could get a piece. We love drumsticks!
[Via: Apple Insider]