Seoul: Samsung Electronics Co. slipped to the third spot in the global market for high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips in the second quarter, data showed Wednesday, with U.S.-based Micron Technology Inc. rising to second place.
According to Yonhap News Agency, data compiled by industry tracker Counterpoint Research indicated that Samsung Electronics held 17 percent of the global HBM chip market in the April-June period, trailing behind Micron's 21 percent. SK hynix Inc. maintained its position as the leading player with a commanding 62 percent market share.
HBM is considered a core component for artificial intelligence (AI) applications, with demand on the rise due to its ability to significantly enhance data-processing speeds at data centers. The combined market shares of SK hynix and Samsung reached nearly 80 percent, underscoring the dominance of South Korean companies in this sector.
Counterpoint Research noted that South Korean players are poised to strengthen their hold on the global market with the upcoming release of advanced sixth-generation HBM4 chips later this year. The researcher emphasized, "In the long term, SK hynix and Samsung are anticipated to continue leading the HBM market, but they also need to prepare for aggressive supply increases by Micron and China, which have geographical advantages."