Report: Apple Buying Flash Chips Like Crazy For The Next iPhone

The buzz around the rumored next-generation iPhone is slowly growing. All reports are pointing to a possible June launch. Now, analysts say that Apple is scooping up massive quantities of NAND Flash RAM.The report comes from ThinkEquity Partners and sheds some interesting light on the current market for RAM. According to the report, Apple has bought all of Samsung's capacity to manufacture RAM chips through April of this year. This move appears to suggest that the June time frame for the next iPhone launch may be correct.

Apple uses RAM chips in the iPhone and iPod line. Apple's neediness is apparently affecting the entire RAM market right now. According to the report, memory makers Hynix and Toshiba are experiencing severe supply constraints due to the demand from Apple.

With Samsung's entire Flash production business basically owned by Apple for the next two months, other chipmakers have to pick up the slack to serve other customers. By the way, it is notable that Samsung contributes about 40% of the world's supply of NAND Flash RAM.

Other phone makers are beginning to introduce phones that have more and more storage. Many of the phones announced during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week have 8 GB or 16 GB of memory on board.

AppleInsider notes that, "Finding enough flash RAM supply may become more difficult as Apple continues to eat up an increasing volume of the world's supply of memory parts."

They ain't kidding.