Apple is testing memory chips made by China's ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), with an eye toward using them in iPhones and MacBooks sold in China, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Aug. 9.
The company has held preliminary talks with CXMT and wants to use the components in some devices sold in the country, people familiar with the matter said. Apple would also need White House approval for the move, which carries significant political sensitivity. Some U.S. policymakers worry the collaboration could create technology-transfer risks.
Current U.S. rules bar companies from transferring technology to CXMT, including discussing technical details and product specifications. That means Apple cannot order custom chips from the Chinese memory maker, though it could still buy standardized products and negotiate pricing. Even within compliance boundaries, Apple may still seek U.S. government support due to political factors. If it adopts standardized chips, some Apple product designs could also require adjustments.
CXMT's production capacity is already running near full this year, leaving limited room for new international customers. HP and Acer have already used small amounts of CXMT chips in some devices sold outside the U.S., and both plan to lock in more supply next year. On pricing, some CXMT products are already near or above comparable offerings from Micron, SK Hynix and Samsung. The company's second-quarter revenue grew more than eightfold year over year, giving it roughly 7% of the global DRAM market by revenue. CXMT also plans to more than double its capacity by 2028.