| View this article at: http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/01/02/flash.market.and.macworld/ |
Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 10:25am
Flash market depending on Macworld, China |
The health of the NAND flash market is now heavily dependent on this month's Macworld Expo, anonymous industry sources say. Demand for flash in North America and Europe is said to be very weak at the moment, foremost because the lucrative Christmas season is over, but also because Apple in particular -- one of the largest memory consumers in the world -- is simply requesting less than it has in recent times. NAND manufacturers are thus hoping that Apple will announce new products at Macworld, restoring demand to the market.The manufacturers are said to be keeping low stock of NAND memory, as they expect prices to drop even further than they are at present. Companies are meanwhile turning to China, whose growing middle and upper classes are increasing sales of high-tech electronics. Regional demand should become particularly big in advance of the Lunar New Year in February, it is claimed. |