High Bandwidth Memory
According to industry sources on July 10, SK hynix will supply the special DRAM that goes into Apple’s Vision Pro AR device, which was ambitiously revealed last month.
The DRAM will be linked with the R1 chip newly developed by Apple for the Vision Pro. The R1 is a processor that computes external information recognized by cameras and sensors mounted throughout the AR device. It functions to display a new screen in as fast as 12 ms (milliseconds), which is 8 times faster than the blink of a human eye.
To implement these features, the DRAM, which aids in computation right next to it, must also adapt. The speed of mobile DRAM used in existing smartphones has its limitations. SK hynix has provided DRAM optimized for R1 operation to meet Apple's requirements, significantly increasing the number of Input/Output (I/O) passages for delivering data outside of memory or bringing it inside.
Industry sources say the special DRAM has 512 I/O passages, 8 times more than the LPDDR5X DRAM used in existing smartphones. As the number of I/O passages increases, data movement becomes smoother, and it’s known that the speed is almost double that of regular DRAM. The DRAM is located right next to the R1 chip and acts like a single chip together with it, meaning that the distance for information sharing between the two chips is much shorter than before.
SK hynix’s exclusive supply of the special DRAM holds significant meaning as it has claimed an area where memory rivals like Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology of the U.S. have not yet entered. SK hynix holds around a 50% market share in High Bandwidth Memory, which is gaining considerable attention in the artificial intelligence market.