Apple is lobbying the U.S. government for permission to purchase DRAM from CXMT, a Chinese memory manufacturer...

Apple is lobbying the U.S. government for permission to purchase DRAM from CXMT, a Chinese memory manufacturer blacklisted as a military company (1260H list), according to multiple reports. The Financial Times reported that Apple's appeal begins Monday at the UK Supreme Court over a $502M patent ruling, but the CXMT story is covered in depth by Tom's Hardware here. The move follows Apple's unprecedented price hikes on MacBooks and iPads due to soaring memory costs, which wiped $265B from its market cap. CXMT has demonstrated competitive DDR5 and LPDDR5X modules, but a partnership would risk severe political backlash. U.S. House China Committee Chairman John Moolenaar warned that partnering with a Chinese military company 'would be a grave mistake.' The memory crisis, dubbed 'Ramageddon,' has doubled DRAM prices since October 2025, driven by AI data center demand. Apple's attempt to secure cheaper supply signals a desperate pivot that, if approved, would reshape the DRAM market away from incumbents like Samsung and Micron. However, the strong political opposition suggests low probability of approval, making this a high-risk move for Apple. The signal is negative for Apple's supply chain stability and could exacerbate geopolitical tensions.