Apple reportedly tested memory chips from China’s CXMT for iPhones and MacBooks. The move targets China-bound devices as AI data centers tighten DRAM supplies and push component costs higher.
Apple held early talks with CXMT, China’s largest chipmaker by market value, about potential memory supplies. The tech giant is evaluating chips to diversify sourcing while shortages pressure established suppliers across the electronics industry.
CXMT produces DRAM used widely in smartphones and computers, making it a potential supplier for Apple. The reported testing remains preliminary, with no confirmed commercial agreement between the companies.
The Wall Street Journal reported Apple is waiting for White House approval before expanding business with the Chinese memory maker. AI infrastructure has redirected memory production toward data centers, leaving consumer electronics makers with tighter supplies.
Apple already faces higher component expenses, while CXMT offers another option beyond Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron. However, CXMT faces production limits, which could prevent Apple from shifting large volumes to the Chinese supplier. Regulatory restrictions also create challenges for technical cooperation and the development of customized memory with CXMT itself.
Standard off-the-shelf components could remain easier to source than jointly developed memory solutions under current rules. China could become the first market for CXMT-powered Apple devices, limiting immediate geopolitical exposure elsewhere.
HP and Acer have already used CXMT memory in some laptops sold outside the United States. CXMT also plans additional manufacturing capacity, potentially strengthening its position in the global DRAM market.
For Apple, the tests represent supply flexibility rather than a confirmed replacement for existing memory suppliers. The outcome will depend on chip performance, supply availability, commercial terms, and the evolving regulatory environment.
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