Apple Unveils Foldable Phone 'iPhone Duo'

SK Hynix's 'full-stack' concept differs from the traditional IT full-stack. It signifies complete vertical integration within the memory sector, encompassing all memory portfolios including HBM, eSSD, packaging, and HBF.

SK Hynix is demonstrating its intention to strengthen its dominance in the memory sector through cooperation with NVIDIA. This strategy is interpreted as an effort to solidify market leadership by securing comprehensive capabilities across all aspects of memory.

Samsung Electronics maintains its image as a comprehensive semiconductor company by strengthening its turnkey strategy through securing manufacturing technology and cooperation with ASML.

In contrast, SK Hynix is unable to enter the non-memory business and is focusing on vertical integration within its existing memory territory. This shows that both companies are adopting differentiated approaches in the market based on their respective strengths.

The adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is significantly meaningful for both companies in solving the yield problem, which has been the biggest challenge in the memory industry. Early securing of production yields using AI technology has emerged as a key task to overcome the limitations of process miniaturization and maximize efficiency.

The introduction of AI in manufacturing contributes to solving memory challenges, and who stabilizes the technology faster and increases production yields will be a crucial variable in future competition.

The heat generation issue during the stacking of HBM remains a critical technical challenge. While the introduction of hybrid bonding is essential to solve this problem, both Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have not yet found a definitive solution.

Samsung Electronics is conducting research with partners like Disco, and SK Hynix is also exploring various technological approaches to address the heat issue.

SK Hynix is able to continue investing without difficulty based on its current earnings. However, the core issue is the urgent need to invest faster than Samsung Electronics to maintain its current position in the market.

Expanding global production bases requires enormous capital, which entails the possibility of margin decline due to the speed of investment. This investment speed is expected to be a key investment point for SK Hynix's profitability in the future.

The strategy to secure a competitive edge through rapid investment may put a short-term burden on profitability, but it is analyzed to be essential for maintaining long-term market dominance.

The price, which was the biggest concern, was set at $1,999, lower than expected, throwing a challenge into the market.

Attention is focused on whether the launch of the 'iPhone Duo' will cause a paradigm shift in the foldable market.

The price of the Galaxy Fold sold in the United States is also not cheap.

Therefore, rather than the price itself, the key focal point is how Apple's entry into the foldable phone market will affect the overall expansion of the market.

The immersive experience felt when opening the screen and the fact that it shows fewer creases than Samsung's product, despite being Apple's first foldable phone, are impressive.

This level of completeness shows Apple's intention not just to enter the market, but to secure competitiveness in the foldable market based on its unique technological capabilities.

The most crucial point is whether the market itself, often called 'fold,' will expand with Apple's participation in the foldable market. Apple's entry could lead to an increase in developers creating apps optimized for foldable phones.

This ecosystem expansion is expected to be a positive factor in enlarging the foldable market, warranting close attention.

This is not a high proportion of Apple's total annual sales, which exceed 200 million units.

Therefore, the 'iPhone Duo' is analyzed to be a product targeting some high-end demand rather than the mainstream market, and its influence on the overall smartphone market is expected to be limited.

Suppliers to Apple are positively viewed for having recognized technology capable of supplying to other manufacturers. In particular, companies supplying essential OLED and hinge-related components for foldable phones to both Apple and Samsung Electronics are expected to benefit from market expansion.

These domestic component stocks can expect positive momentum from the overall growth of the foldable market, rather than just individual company sales.

It is important to apply other AI technologies, such as Gemini, to Siri to enhance service competitiveness.

If Apple demonstrates strength in the AI sector, it is expected to gain the momentum to compete with NVIDIA for the top spot in market capitalization.