According to a report, Apple has been sending executives to meet with Samsung to discuss possible iPhone chip shortages (via The Korea Herald).
Chips and Displays
Due to an ongoing trade war between Korea (Seoul) and Japan (Tokyo), Apple is worried it could have an impact on Samsung’s DRAM memory chip production. A source spoke of the matter:
The officials (from the US tech firms) were not here just to review their existing contracts with Samsung, but also to monitor the current market conditions here after Japan recently implemented trade restrictions…They discussed the current situation with Samsung officials.
Samsung leads the world market for DRAM, getting 45.3% market share in 2018. The Korean company is also the main supplier of DRAM and NAND flash chips for iPhones. Japan has been increasing restrictions around certain chemicals important to the manufacturing process of these chips, as well as displays: Fluorinated polyamide, hydrogen fluoride and photoresists.
Further Reading:
[UK Politicians Demand Answers on Facebook’s Contradictory Evidence]