Apple is reportedly testing memory chips from Chinese supplier ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT). However, the company may use these chips only in devices sold in China. The latest report comes just days after claims that Apple was considering Chinese memory suppliers, including CXMT and Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC). The new information suggests Apple has already started evaluating DRAM chips from CXMT.
Apple May Limit Chinese Memory to China-Bound Devices
According to the report, Apple plans to use Chinese-made RAM only in products sold in the Chinese market. This approach could help the company avoid criticism in the United States.
The US government has placed both CXMT and YMTC on its Entity List. The list includes companies that allegedly have links to the Chinese military.
Apple is not banned from doing business with these companies. However, sourcing components from them could attract political attention, especially from the Trump administration. By limiting the use of Chinese memory to devices sold in China, Apple may reduce potential backlash.
The company’s interest in Chinese memory makers also reflects the current pressure on the global memory market. Demand from AI data centers has increased sharply in recent years. As a result, non-Chinese memory manufacturers are struggling to meet demand.
Apple’s interest in Chinese suppliers is not new. Reports from 2022 claimed the company was evaluating NAND flash memory chips from YMTC. This suggests Apple has been watching China’s memory industry for several years.
For now, Apple has not confirmed whether it will use CXMT’s DRAM chips in future products. However, the latest report shows the company is actively exploring new supply options as competition for memory components continues to grow.
