Apple reportedly testing RAM chips from US-blocked Chinese company
Apple has reportedly started testing DRAM chips made by ChangXin Memory Technologies, Inc. (CXMT), which was recently blacklisted by the Defense Department, for devices meant
Apple has reportedly started testing DRAM chips made by ChangXin Memory Technologies, Inc. (CXMT), which was recently blacklisted by the Defense Department, for devices meant to be sold within China. According to Financial Times, Apple has already progressed to testing the company's memory chips with its devices, while it's still lobbying the US government to give it permission to use CXMT's products. The Times first reported that Apple was looking to buy DRAM from the Chinese chipmaker in late June. Just earlier that month, Pentagon added CXMT to its 1260H blacklist made up of companies it believes are linked to the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
Reuters reported in mid-June that the Trump administration held off on adding CXMT, along with other Chinese companies like DeepSeek, to the blacklist in order to avoid escalating tensions with Beijing. However, the latest copy of 1260H from the Defense Department's website clearly includes ChangXin Memory Technologies, Inc. In its report, the Times explains that CXMT was pretty unknown globally and was bleeding billions before the industry's memory shortage problem had thrust it into the spotlight. It's now the fourth largest producer of DRAM in the world, after Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron.
The company has 15 state-owned shareholders at the moment, at least, and most of its privately owned funds are backed by state-owned partners. It reportedly plans to raise $4.3 billion in an upcoming IPO. Technically, Apple isn't prohibited from doing business with companies in the 1260H list, CXMT included, but it could face repercussions if it doesn't get the Trump administration's blessing. Apple reportedly approached the US government about using CXMT's products in late May or early June and has been using its connections in Washington in hopes of getting the White House to agree.
Buying chips from CXMT could help Apple weather current memory shortages. It's already getting DRAM from Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix, but it still had to raise prices across its iPad and Mac lineups. Apple is expected to face objections from Congress if the president agrees to its plan, however, with US representative John Moolenaar already calling the potential partnership a "grave mistake."
The BriefWire