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A Munich Regional Court ruled on September 18 that Micron infringed two YMTC utility model patents covering 3D NAND technology, granting injunctions with 10-year protection terms. Three other related cases in the same filing were adjourned. Micron says it disputes the ruling and has filed an appeal to the Munich Higher Regional Court.
Micron has launched its first 512GB DDR5-9200 memory module aimed at high-density servers, allowing systems to reach up to 12TB of total memory. The module uses vertically stacked DRAM dies connected via through-silicon vias, and is currently being validated by AMD and Intel for their upcoming server platforms.
Micron unveiled a one-time NT$1 million (~$31,650) cash bonus for Taiwan staff as part of a larger rewards package that guarantees at least NT$1.7 million per worker, calling it the largest such payout in company history. Unions representing roughly 10,000 of Micron's 15,000 Taiwan employees rejected the offer, dismissing it as a distraction and instead demanding a 15% profit-sharing arrangement tied to the company's AI-driven earnings surge.
Micron offered Taiwan employees a one-time cash bonus of up to NT$1 million, plus guaranteed minimum compensation for direct labor staff equivalent to 35-68 months of basic salary, following a record-profit year driven by AI demand. The union at its Taoyuan plant rejected the deal within hours, saying it ignores their core demand: a permanent bonus formula tying 15% of operating profit to quarterly worker payouts instead of one-off checks.
Framework has reduced pricing on 32GB and 64GB LPCAMM2 memory modules for its Laptop 13 Pro after securing a limited supply of Micron chips at a lower cost. The company is applying the price cut retroactively to orders that already shipped as well as to pending pre-orders through Batch 10, following a price hike it made back in July.
Framework has secured a limited supply of Micron 32GB and 64GB LPCAMM2 memory modules at a lower cost than its recent price increase, and is passing the savings to customers. The company is refunding the price difference to buyers who already received laptops at the higher rate and adjusting pricing for pending preorders through Batch 10, with an option to upgrade RAM configurations at the reduced cost. DIY Edition owners can also request a switch to the new pricing.
Apple is said to be considering ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), a fast-growing Chinese DRAM maker, as a potential supplier for some of its China-related memory needs. CXMT has not confirmed Apple by name but says it is open to working with top global customers and claims its products can compete with established suppliers on performance and reliability. The move would give Apple added leverage in talks with existing suppliers Micron, Samsung, SK Hynix and Kioxia.
Apple's upcoming iPhone launch is expected to carry higher prices, driven by a persistent global shortage of memory chips. Industry data shows hundreds of companies flagging memory costs and shortages last quarter, reversing decades of falling memory prices that once let devices grow more powerful without becoming pricier.
Taiwanese media report that Micron's two main unions are pressing for larger bonuses after the company's profits surged on AI-driven memory demand. Union chairman Lin Zherui pointed to Micron's record earnings, arguing compensation has stayed capped near 200% of salary even as SK Hynix and Samsung paid workers hundreds of thousands of dollars this year. Reports suggest union membership has grown sharply as frustration builds, raising the possibility of labor action.
A preliminary survey found that 80% of Micron Taiwan employees support a possible strike, as the labor union demands the company replace its current bonus structure with a profit-sharing model similar to those at SK hynix and Samsung. Mandatory mediation talks are expected to start by mid-September, as required under Taiwan law before any formal strike vote can occur. The push comes after Micron posted $41.46 billion in revenue and $28.24 billion in net income, fueled largely by AI-driven demand for high-bandwidth memory chips.
Nvidia shares jumped over 7% in premarket trading after strong revenue guidance calmed investor worries about slowing AI spending. CFO Colette Kress projected 70% revenue growth for fiscal 2028, while CEO Jensen Huang said actual demand exceeds that figure but supply constraints are limiting sales. The rally spread across the chip sector, lifting Micron, Marvell, Arm, Intel, AMD and cloud infrastructure firms Nebius and CoreWeave.