Kioxia exec warns cheap 1TB SSD pricing is done, says 2026 output is already sold out
Kioxia Memory Business Unit managing director Shunsuke Nakato says 2026 supply is already locked in. Nakato described the current NAND market as a “high-end, high-price phase,” and linked the squeeze to AI investment. Nakato also said the shortage is spreading from enterprise SSD demand into the consumer market.
Kioxia is not treating supply as first-come, first-served, or a highest-bid process, he adds. Nakato said delivery dates and volumes cannot be adjusted on demand, so Kioxia is using a “gentleman’s agreement” approach built around yearly supply plans with long-term partners.
This year’s NAND supply has sold out, and it will continue until 2027…
— Shunsuke Nakato, Kioxia
Nakato said some deals have seen “more than 30%” year-on-year increases, and said the cycle could run until at least 2027 because AI spending is not slowing.
The source of this interview, Digital Daily, reports the Korean Yokkaichi plant is run as a smart factory using AI and IoT, and collects about 50TB of manufacturing data per day to drive yield. Note, this is not how much memory is made, this is how much data they collect to improve this process.
Before the “RAMpocalypse,” 1TB storage pricing sat at $99 to $159, depending on the vendor. It was also easy to find deals for less. Since November, prices have jumped by $50, or up to 130%, so these SSDs now sell for $149 to $299.
Source: Digital Daily
