SSD storage is now a seller’s market. Apple’s huge buying power no longer means it can dictate better and long-term deals with its iPhone suppliers than anyone else — for now.
The iPhone 18 Pro will cost Apple more to manufacture as NAND storage costs rise
The iPhone 18 Pro will cost Apple more to manufacture as NAND storage costs rise
Just as it used to buy out as much of TSMC’s processor capacity as possible, Apple used to bulk-buy NAND storage. In 2009, for instance, it paid Toshiba $500 million for a long-term deal.
In 2012, Apple bought 23% of the world’s NAND supply, paying around $0.67/GB. NAND prices fluctuate greatly, but Apple has almost always paid less than market rates — such as in 2018, when it was reportedly paying an incredibly discounted $0.25 per gigabyte.