Samsung & SK Hynix memory production outlook

In late July 2026, South Korean memory leaders Samsung and SK Hynix announced that mass production of hybrid‑bonding high‑bandwidth memory (HBM) would be postponed until 2029‑2030. The delay aligns with JEDEC’s relaxed packaging height limits and a slower demand curve from NVIDIA’s upcoming AI GPU platform, prompting the firms to focus on alternative thermal solutions and shifting equipment market opportunities toward traditional bonding tools.

A week later, the same companies, together with U.S.‑based Micron, reported that all DRAM production capacity for 2027 had been booked, with roughly 70 % earmarked for professional AI and data‑center workloads. This capacity squeeze reinforces tight supply conditions across memory segments, sustaining elevated prices and underscoring the prioritisation of high‑performance memory for AI infrastructure.

Together, the announcements illustrate a broader strategy by Samsung and SK Hynix to manage limited manufacturing resources, defer next‑generation HBM technologies, and lock in long‑term DRAM contracts to meet surging AI‑driven demand.