Apple tests CXMT memory chips amid shortage

Apple Inc. has been testing memory chips from China's Yangtze Memory Technologies (CXMT) for use in iPhones and MacBooks, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The move comes as a global memory chip shortage, driven by surging demand from AI data centers, has pushed up prices and squeezed supplies for consumer electronics makers. Apple has held early talks with CXMT about supplying components for devices sold in China, and has reportedly sought the Trump administration's blessing to use CXMT and Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) chips in products sold outside the US. The testing is preliminary, and CXMT has already reached its production capacity for 2026, limiting its ability to take on new customers. CXMT's memory products can cost as much as or more than those from established suppliers like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron. US export rules restrict American companies from transferring technology to CXMT, limiting Apple's ability to develop customized memory chips with the Chinese supplier. A bipartisan group of US senators, led by Jim Banks and Chuck Schumer, has urged Apple to abandon plans to source memory chips from CXMT and YMTC, warning of national security risks. The senators asked Apple to commit by August 21 to not using the Chinese-made chips. Apple has not responded to the letter. The company has raised prices across its Mac, iPad, home devices, and Vision Pro product lines, citing higher memory costs. HP and Acer have already started using CXMT memory chips in devices sold outside the US. CXMT has become the world's fourth-largest memory chip maker, with its global DRAM revenue share reaching 7% in the second quarter.