Despite brisk sales of iPads and iPhones, contract prices for mainstream MLC NAND flash chips remained on a downward trend in the first half of September, according to sources at memory makers.
Apple has placed large orders for its iPad and iPhone devices, but the huge demand still cannot help push up NAND flash pricing, the sources indicated. Demand for NAND flash chips in the channel remains sluggish, the sources said. Neither back-to-school sales nor demand for China's National Day holiday has picked up.
The sources expressed concerns that NAND flash contract pricing may continue to drop throughout the fourth quarter, but at a gradual pace.
Early September contract prices for 32Gb and 64Gb NAND chips edged down 5-8% to average US$5.57 and US$11.78, while the 16Gb segment saw a modest drop to US$3.80 on average.