Apple and the Power Rebalancing with 'The Microns': Dissecting the Profit Ledger Behind the iPhone
The article analyzes the shifting profit dynamics and power balance between Apple and memory suppliers like Micron within the iPhone supply chain. It highlights a social media post criticizing Apple for raising iPhone prices while blaming memory chip cost increases, despite historically paying suppliers like Micron very little. An estimated iPhone 18 cost breakdown is referenced.
Historically, memory was a minor cost component. In 2017's iPhone X, memory accounted for only about 1.6-2.3% of the price, with Apple capturing nearly 50% net profit. Over time, memory's share of the Bill-of-Materials (BOM) cost has grown significantly, reaching an estimated 12-15% for the iPhone 17 series.
The core driver of this change is soaring demand for memory from the AI industry, particularly for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and AI servers, which is diverting production capacity and squeezing supply for consumer electronics. Memory manufacturers, after enduring periods of low profits, now hold greater pricing power. This is reflected in their recent strong financials, like Micron's 84.6% gross margin.
Apple CEO Tim Cook initially described the memory price pressure as unprecedented in his 40-year career, later calling it a "once-in-a-century flood," before Apple announced price hikes across several product lines, causing a significant stock drop. Elon Musk echoed Cook's sentiment about the dramatic cost surge.
The article concludes that the era of memory suppliers being at the mercy of Apple's pricing power has temporarily reversed, thanks to AI-driven demand. It notes Apple is reportedly seeking to diversify its supply chain, including exploring chips from China's CXMT.
Odaily星球日报06/28 06:03
