"갑질하더니 이제 와서…" 삼성·SK하이닉스에 무릎 꿇은 애플의 20년 업보

"Who would have thought that Apple, the world's most powerful company, would look this pathetic now?" For over 20 years, Apple has engaged in abusive practices against its partners—ranging from price gouging and unilateral contract terminations to allegations of technology leakage. The bankruptcy of GT Advanced Technologies, the stock price crashes of Imagination & Dialog Semiconductors, the skyrocketing debt of Japan Display, and the legal battle with Qualcomm... Among partners, the saying "doing business with Apple is a grave" even emerged. However, that karma has now returned like a boomerang. As the AI-fueled memory supercycle allowed Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron to dominate 90% of the global DRAM market, Apple was forced to close its online store without notice and raise the prices of Macs and iPads by an average of 15–25%. Tim Cook described this situation as a "once-in-a-century flood." The cost of DRAM for the iPhone 18 Pro skyrocketed by 272% compared to the iPhone 17, and Samsung Electronics recorded its highest-ever performance (operating profit of 57.2 trillion won) in the first quarter of 2026. Ultimately, Apple even took the double-dealing step of lobbying the U.S. Department of Commerce to approve the purchase of memory from China's CXMT. Let us now trace the flow of money regarding the karma of Apple, which has knelt before the partners it trampled upon for 20 years. ⏱️ Timeline (Timestamps) 00:00 Why Apple, the World's No. 1, Knelt Before Samsung and SK Hynix 01:04 The Tragedy of Apple's Partners 1: GT Advanced (Sapphire Glass) 02:18 The Tragedy of Apple's Partners 2: Imagination (GPU) 03:15 The Tragedy of Apple's Partners 3: Dialog (Power Management Chip) 04:05 The Tragedy of Apple's Partners 4: Japan Display (LCD Hakusan Factory) 04:51 Apple Raises the White Flag First in Qualcomm's Patent Lawsuit 06:32 Painful Technology Leak Allegations: Is Apple Behind China's BOE? 11:08 Samsung Display's Counterattack After Enduring It Anymore (Filing a Complaint with the US ITC) 14:41 The Arrival of the AI ​​Era, the Power Relationship Reversed 180 Degrees (HBM and DRAM Shortages) 17:51 The Butterfly Effect of Soaring Component Prices: Apple Devices' Surprise Price Hike 19:56 The Tide Has Changed! Money Flows Toward Samsung and SK Hynix 23:06 Apple on the Brink, China's CXMT Lobbying and US Criticism 26:41 Bills Passed on to Consumers and Apple's Successive Bad News (Massimo Loses) 28:14 Summary: The Boomerang of 20 Years of Power Abuse, and the Unending War #Apple #SamsungElectronics #SKHynix #MemorySemiconductor #TimCook #SemiconductorSupercycle