SK Hynix is in exploratory talks with Intel about manufacturing memory chips in the United States for the first time, with discussions including a possible lease of part of Intel’s planned Ohio complex or a joint venture involving Intel and major cloud providers, people familiar with the talks said. No decisions have been made and other arrangements remain possible.
SK Hynix supplies Apple with memory alongside Samsung and Micron. Rising AI infrastructure spending is increasing demand for memory and putting pressure on supplies for consumer devices, including iPhones and Macs. Chipmakers have been directing more production capacity toward high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI processors, leaving smartphone and computer manufacturers competing for available DRAM and other memory types.
In February, Apple reportedly agreed to pay Samsung twice as much for memory chips needed for iPhone 17 production. More recently, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple was reducing its 2026 hardware shipment plans because of DRAM shortages, with supply constraints also affecting the Mac Studio, Mac mini, and MacBook Air.
SK Hynix’s potential U.S. production options
It remains unclear which types of memory SK Hynix would manufacture under a potential agreement with Intel. SK Hynix’s product range includes DRAM used in smartphones, computers and servers, NAND flash storage, and HBM for AI processors. The report does not indicate whether any U.S. facility would produce memory specifically for Apple devices.
Existing U.S. packaging project
SK Hynix already has an advanced packaging facility under construction in West Lafayette, Indiana. That project will package DRAM wafers manufactured in South Korea into HBM chips, rather than fabricate the wafers domestically.
