Core Viewpoint - Micron Technology announced the complete shutdown of its Crucial brand business, which has been operational for nearly 30 years, while continuing to ship products through consumer channels until February 2026. This exit will create a significant gap in the consumer storage market, especially as analysts warn of potential memory shortages lasting for several years [1][4]. Group 1: Strategic Shift - Micron is shifting its focus from consumer storage to advanced storage chip production for AI data centers, particularly High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), amid a global supply crunch for storage chips [3][5]. - The decision to exit the consumer market is driven by the surge in demand for storage due to AI-driven data center growth, as stated by Micron's Chief Business Officer [3][5]. Group 2: Market Impact - Micron's exit will leave a substantial void in the consumer storage market, where it holds a 13% market share in NAND flash memory for SSDs. This move raises concerns about whether other companies can fill this gap [4][9]. - The withdrawal of Micron from the consumer market is expected to exacerbate supply shortages, particularly as major companies are investing billions in building large data centers, further increasing demand for storage [7][10]. Group 3: Financial Performance - Micron's HBM revenue reached nearly $2 billion in the latest quarter, indicating a strong pivot towards more profitable segments compared to its consumer business, which has not been a significant driver of revenue [5][6]. - The cloud storage segment of Micron reported a 213% year-over-year growth, reflecting robust demand from AI data centers [6]. Group 4: Competitive Landscape - Micron is the third-largest DRAM supplier globally, following Samsung and SK Hynix, which together hold 92% of the DRAM market share. The competitive landscape is intensifying as companies prioritize profitability over risky capacity expansions [4][10]. - The demand for advanced storage chips is driven by AI chip manufacturers like NVIDIA and AMD, which require significantly more memory compared to traditional consumer devices [8].
存储市场“雪上加霜”?美光将退出“消费级存储业务”,聚焦AI存储芯片34/64