Apple has been testing memory chips from China’s ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) for use across product lines that include iPhones and MacBooks, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing people familiar with the matter. The move comes as the company grapples with a severe memory-chip shortage intensified by surging demand from the artificial-intelligence boom.

The iPhone maker has held early talks with CXMT about potential supply of components, with the aim of incorporating them into some devices sold in China. Apple is seeking approval from the Trump administration to proceed with any business involving the Chinese chipmaker. Any such deal would be politically sensitive. Some U.S. policymakers worry that collaboration could give CXMT access to American intellectual property.

CXMT ranks as China’s largest chipmaker by market value. The testing reflects broader industry pressure: AI data-center demand has redirected substantial DRAM production capacity toward high-bandwidth memory used in AI accelerators, tightening supplies and driving up prices for the conventional memory chips needed in smartphones, PCs, and other consumer electronics.

Other device makers have already begun limited use of CXMT chips. Laptop producers HP and Acer have started incorporating the Chinese company’s memory into some devices sold outside the United States to ease shortages, the Journal reported.

Apple and CXMT did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the report. The development builds on earlier indications that Apple has been exploring options with Chinese memory suppliers and lobbying U.S. officials for flexibility amid the supply constraints. CXMT has faced scrutiny in Washington, including designation on a Pentagon list of companies with alleged ties to the Chinese military, adding layers of regulatory and political complexity to any potential partnership.

MacDailyNews Take: The situation underscores the tension between immediate commercial needs (securing enough memory to maintain production volumes and manage costs) and longer-term national-security and technology-transfer concerns. It’s a tightrope walk for sure.

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In a striking reversal of traditional supply-chain dynamics, China’s ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) has rebuffed Apple’s requests for lower prices on mobile DRAM, according to industry reports. The move underscores a severe shortage in general-purpose memory chips and hands greater negotiation leverage to South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

Apple had been exploring CXMT as a potential new supplier of LPDDR5X and other mobile DRAM for upcoming iPhones and smart devices, aiming to ease manufacturing cost pressures amid soaring memory prices. Sources indicate the iPhone maker sought further price reductions during negotiations. CXMT refused, instead holding firm at levels matching or even exceeding those charged by Samsung and SK Hynix.

The Chinese manufacturer’s bold stance stems from robust domestic demand. Companies such as Huawei and Xiaomi have locked in large volumes of CXMT’s DRAM through high-priced, long-term contracts. This push for supply-chain self-reliance has been intensified by ongoing U.S. semiconductor restrictions on China. With strong local orders secured, CXMT has little incentive to accommodate Apple’s stricter quality requirements or discount demands.

The episode highlights a broader market shift. Major memory producers have redirected significant wafer capacity toward high-bandwidth memory (HBM) to meet surging demand from AI servers and accelerators. This has sharply reduced output of conventional DRAM products like DDR5 and LPDDR5X, triggering a pronounced shortage—sometimes called “memflation” — and rapid price increases across the sector.Big tech firms that once used Chinese low-cost alternatives as leverage in annual pricing talks with primary suppliers now find that strategy ineffective. The low-cost “bypass” route has effectively closed, transferring pricing power from device makers to memory manufacturers.

For Samsung and SK Hynix, the developments create a favorable cycle. CXMT’s absorption of substantial Chinese commodity DRAM demand relieves the Korean firms of pressure to supply lower-margin general-purpose chips. They can instead prioritize higher-value AI memory products, including HBM4, LPCAMM2, and enterprise SSDs. Industry observers note that this positions the Korean companies with stronger control over global pricing in negotiations with major customers in the second half of the year.

One semiconductor industry source described the situation as unusual: CXMT is effectively supporting a floor under general DRAM prices while Samsung and SK Hynix consolidate leadership in premium AI memory. As a result, the Korean firms’ operating margins and market influence are expected to strengthen further.

Earlier this year, Apple had lobbied the U.S. government for clearer approval to source from CXMT, which appears on a Pentagon list of companies with alleged Chinese military ties. Memory cost pressures had already prompted Apple to raise prices on some Mac and iPad models. The latest reports suggest any potential deal with CXMT would not deliver the hoped-for cost savings.

MacDailyNews Take: The memory shortage is widely expected to persist well into 2027 and possibly beyond, as new fab capacity takes years to come online and AI-related demand continues to outpace supply growth. In this environment, the balance of power in the DRAM market has tilted decisively toward suppliers, particularly those focused on advanced, high-margin products.

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A atualização anual da chamada "lista 1260H" alarga o escrutínio dos EUA a gigantes tecnológicos e industriais chineses não estatais que, em princípio, não teriam qualquer ligação ao setor da defesa. A medida surge menos de um mês após a cimeira de Trump em Pequim. A China prometeu retaliar.

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