Samsung is facing unexpected pushback: two major Chinese smartphone makers, Oppo and Vivo, have rejected Samsung’s proposed DRAM pricing for the third quarter — despite the supplier’s announced increase being smaller than the hikes seen in the previous two quarters. The standoff highlights growing friction between memory vendors and handset assemblers as chip prices continue to climb.
Key points
– Main takeaway: Oppo and Vivo refused Samsung’s proposed DRAM prices for Q3.
– Secondary context: memory suppliers, including Samsung, are benefiting from price gains driven by tight supply; contract durations have shortened, squeezing smartphone makers’ margins; and even Samsung’s mobile division is posting year-on-year losses because of the high cost of memory purchases, including intra-company buys.
