Tech

Rolfe Winkler at The WSJ: ‘The Beleaguered Chip Sellers Getting Their Revenge on Apple’

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 29/10/2026, 22:22:24 UTC.

Briefings

A Wall Street Journal article by Rolfe Winkler and TechInsights argues that Apple's flash memory business is no longer the largest buyer, shifting power to AI hyperscalers. The piece details how Apple's aggressive auditing of suppliers, including Micron, allowed it to secure volume discounts with Deloitte auditors. It highlights a 2023 industry low point where flash prices hit $5/gigabyte, resulting in $19 billion in operating losses for the sector while Apple earned $14 billion in gross profit. The article notes that Apple still negotiates the best deals it can for itself despite this shift.

Key points

• Apple's flash memory business is no longer the largest buyer, shifting power to AI hyperscalers.
• Apple secured a volume discount with Deloitte auditors due to its frequent supplier audits.

Context

The article discusses the competitive landscape of flash memory, noting that while Apple historically negotiated the best deals, it now faces higher prices due to the shift in market power. It references a 2023 industry low point where flash prices bottomed out at $5/gigabyte, resulting in significant operating losses for the sector.

Limitations

The article does not specify the exact city or region where the Wall Street Journal is published, nor does it provide specific dates for the 2023 flash price bottoming out other than the year. The evidence relies on internal industry knowledge and interviews, leaving some causal claims about the 'revenge' angle unverified.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 29/10/2026, 23:25:54 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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