Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is testing RAM chips from China's CXMT across product lines, including iPhones...

Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is testing RAM chips from China's CXMT across product lines, including iPhones and MacBooks, as an AI-induced memory shortage drives up costs (WSJ via Techmeme). The story is corroborated by Semafor (Semafor) and a Digitimes headline (Digitimes). Apple is reportedly seeking White House approval to use CXMT chips in products sold in China, just two months after CEO Tim Cook raised prices due to chip costs. However, any deal faces major obstacles: US tech-transfer rules block sharing the technical details needed for custom versions, and a bipartisan group of senators wrote in July to discourage the move. An analyst told CNBC that CXMT remains "two to three generations" behind SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron. The fact that Apple is even exploring CXMT signals acute memory supply and cost pressure for the company. If allowed, it could diversify Apple's supply chain and increase bargaining power, but the more immediate implication is that Apple's memory costs are high enough to justify a politically risky and technically inferior option. Direction is down for AAPL because the event confirms margin pressure and potential regulatory complications. SAMSUNG, as an incumbent DRAM supplier, could face future share loss if Apple successfully qualifies CXMT, though that is a long shot now.

What the sources said

• "Apple is testing memory chips from China's CXMT across its product lines, including iPhones and MacBooks, The Wall Street Journal reported, as global tech reckons with an AI-induced memory shortage." — Semafor
• "The firm is reportedly seeking the White House's approval to use CXMT chips in products sold in China, two months after CEO Tim Cook raised prices due to chip costs." — Semafor
• "CXMT remains 'two to three generations' behind firms like SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron, an analyst told CNBC." — Semafor
• "Apple tests CXMT memory chips as shortage, price pressures persist" — Digitimes