Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix face a class-action lawsuit in the United States, accusing the three companies of violating antitrust laws.

BlockBeats News, June 29 — Last Friday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California received a class action lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology. The plaintiffs, including consumers and small businesses, accuse the three companies of violating antitrust laws by coordinating to restrict the supply of traditional DRAM capacity, thereby artificially creating shortages and driving up prices.

According to data cited in the complaint, the alleged coordinated actions led to a cumulative price increase of approximately 700% in commercial DRAM over the past four years, causing widespread impact on global consumer electronics and corporate IT procurement. Apple's recent broad price hikes on iPads and Macs were cited by the plaintiffs as a typical case of price transmission: the supply gap created by the three manufacturers upstream has been passed down through the industrial chain, ultimately landing on end consumers.

The legal basis for this lawsuit is not unfounded. Samsung and SK Hynix formally pleaded guilty to criminal price-fixing cases brought by the U.S. Department of Justice in the 2000s, paying a combined total of $731 million in fines, with multiple executives involved receiving prison sentences. The complaint cites this historical record to present to the court a pattern of systematic and repeated collusion by the three companies, aiming to strengthen the credibility and legal effect of the current allegations. Compared to defendants being accused for the first time, this prior record provides the plaintiffs with a relatively strong reference point, and also exposes the defendants to higher public opinion and legal costs in their defense.