Samsung and AMD expand strategic collaboration on next-generation AI memory solutions
• Samsung has expanded its strategic partnership with AMD through an MOU to support next‑generation AI memory and computing platforms, which underscores its competitiveness in the rapidly expanding HBM and AI memory market, aligning supply with long‑term AI demand driven by data‑center and accelerator growth.
Kioxia discontinues 2D NAND products — 1980s planar NAND memory reaches end of life
• The discontinuation covers all major cell types (SLC, MLC, TLC) and multiple process nodes (32nm, 24nm, 15nm), as well as early 64‑layer BiCS3 3D NAND, indicating a comprehensive shutdown of legacy production lines rather than selective SKU cuts.The decision reflects Kioxia’s intent to prioritize capacity for higher‑margin NAND used in AI, data‑center, and enterprise storage applications, where demand growth and pricing power are significantly stronger than in legacy markets.
SK hynix and Sandisk begin global standardization of next-gen memory"HBF"
• Both companies highlighted that AI workloads are shifting from training to inference, where continuous operation, high concurrency, and energy efficiency place new demands on memory architectures.The companies expect complex, multi‑tier memory architectures to see meaningful demand growth around 2030, with early standardization laying the groundwork for future commercialization. High Bandwidth Flash (HBF) is designed as a new memory layer between HBM and SSD, addressing the gap between ultra‑high bandwidth and large capacity while improving scalability and power efficiency for AI inference workloads.
Micron Technology reported record fiscal 2Q26 revenue of USD 23.86 billion
•The number represents a 74.9% sequential increase and a 196.4% year‑over‑year surge, marking the company’s strongest quarterly performance to date. Management noted that current market conditions remain favorable, with continued strength expected in fiscal 3Q26 as AI‑driven demand persists and supply discipline is maintained across the industry.
Demand for legacy‑node SSDs is minimal within overall SSD shipments. Rapid expansion in AI‑related applications in 2026 is expected to drive sustained growth in demand for mainstream advanced‑node 3D‑type SSD products.
Flash Sufficiency: CSP-driven AI expansion caused severe NAND shortages starting from Q3’25, and this might last during the entire 2026.
Price Trend: overall NAND flash price rose sharply in Q4’25 with enterprise and cloud service provider (CSP) demand surging—driven by AI infrastructure expansion and server upgrades. The market condition is projected to continue in 2026, sustaining NAND flash prices at a high level.
DRAM Sufficiency: otal Supply has come under significant pressure from Q3’25 through 2026 1H, as manufacturers phase out DDR4 production and reallocate capacity toward high-demand applications from the CSPs. This shift has led to a pronounced tightening in overall DRAM availability.
Price Trend: DDR4 price has risen sharply across both spot and contract markets, driven by CSP-led demand absorbing supply and growing HBM allocation crowding out commodity DRAM capacity.
