Apple Tests Chinese Memory Chips as Global Shortage Deepens
5 min read
Quick Answer
Yes. According to U.S. reports, Apple has begun testing DRAM chips from China’s CXMT while considering their use in some iPhones and MacBooks made for the Chinese market. But the testing does not mean a final commercial deal has been reached, and Apple is facing pressure from U.S. senators not to use chips from CXMT and YMTC.
Apple Is Looking for a New Memory Source
Apple is testing DRAM memory chips manufactured by ChangXin Memory Technologies, known as CXMT, to evaluate whether they can be used in devices intended for sale in China.
According to reports from U.S. sources, talks between Apple and CXMT have reached the technical testing stage. This stage generally comes before supplier approval, but it does not mean Apple has made a final decision to purchase the chips in commercial quantities.
Earlier reports also pointed to talks between Apple and Chinese memory companies CXMT and Yangtze Memory Technologies, or YMTC, about supplying memory chips.
Why Does Apple Need More Memory Chips?
The move comes as the technology industry faces a severe shortage of memory chips, amid rising demand linked to artificial intelligence data centers.
Available information indicates that Apple is looking at multiple memory sources, including companies such as Micron, SK hynix, and Samsung, along with Chinese options.
However, some of the figures being reported about the crisis should be treated cautiously. The collected data indicates that AI data centers account for about 70% of memory chip production and that PC memory prices doubled in the first quarter of 2026. However, these figures were not independently verified through the available U.S. sources.
Could CXMT Chips Reach the iPhone and MacBook?
According to a report published by The Wall Street Journal and reported by Reuters, Apple has tested CXMT chips in products including iPhones and MacBooks, while considering whether to use them in some devices sold in China.
There is an important distinction here: The available reports do not say Apple has decided to use CXMT chips in all of its devices, nor do they confirm their use in products sold globally.
The current information specifically points to devices intended for the Chinese market. It remains unclear which models could use the chips or whether the current testing will eventually lead to widespread commercial use.
Why Has CXMT Become a Political Issue for Apple?
This story is not only about prices or the memory shortage. CXMT is also facing political scrutiny in the United States.
According to reports, the U.S. Department of Defense designated CXMT as a Chinese company linked to the Chinese military. At the same time, reports said that the addition of CXMT to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List had been delayed.
These are not the same designation, so based on the available information, CXMT should not simply be described as already being on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List.
Against this backdrop, Apple has faced political pressure from bipartisan members of the U.S. Senate, who asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to pledge that the company would not use memory chips from Chinese companies such as CXMT and YMTC.
The Memory Shortage Could Increase Pressure on Apple
Apple’s search for another supplier comes as technology companies are trying to deal with a shortage of memory chips.
Reports indicate that other companies have already started using CXMT chips in some products. Reports say that HP and Acer began using memory from the Chinese company in devices sold outside the United States in an effort to deal with supply shortages.
For Apple, however, the issue appears more sensitive because of the U.S. government’s position on CXMT, particularly its designation by the U.S. Department of Defense and the growing political pressure on the company.
Apple Between Market Needs and U.S. Pressure
Apple is facing a complicated balancing act. On one hand, the company needs to secure enough memory supplies amid a global shortage, which is why it is looking at more than one source.
On the other hand, using components from a Chinese company such as CXMT could expose Apple to U.S. political scrutiny, even if the proposed use is limited to devices sold in China.
According to the available information, no final commercial agreement between Apple and CXMT has been announced, and it remains unclear whether the current testing will lead to the chips being approved for commercial production.
What About the iPhone 18 Pro?
The available data also links the memory shortage to the next generation of iPhones, with reports about plans to launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a foldable device.
However, this specific point has not been confirmed by the U.S. sources available in the collected data. It therefore cannot be treated as a confirmed official launch plan from Apple.
What the available information does establish is that the memory shortage is an important factor in the device supply chain and that Apple is working to secure memory from multiple sources.
What We Know — and What We Don’t
What is known so far is that Apple is testing DRAM chips from CXMT, that the testing is connected to devices intended for the Chinese market, and that the company has not announced a final commercial agreement.
However, the potential volume of orders from CXMT, the models that could use the chips, the timing of any commercial rollout, and whether the chips could appear in devices sold outside China have not been confirmed in the available information.
The reported figure that AI data centers account for 70% of memory production, as well as the claim that PC memory prices doubled during the first quarter of 2026, also requires a confirmed U.S. source before being treated as established fact.
Written by shindy
Researcher who has followed U.S. news since 2011.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Apple already using CXMT’s Chinese memory chips?
A: According to available reports, Apple has begun testing DRAM chips from CXMT, but testing does not mean a final commercial agreement or approval for use in mass production.
Q: Will Apple use CXMT chips in all iPhones?
A: There is no confirmed information indicating that. Available reports refer to devices intended for sale in China and do not confirm the use of CXMT chips in all iPhones or devices sold globally.
Q: Why does Apple want to use Chinese memory chips?
A: The move comes amid a severe shortage of memory chips, while Apple is looking for multiple sources to secure its memory supply.
Q: Why do some U.S. senators oppose Apple using CXMT chips?
A: CXMT has been designated by the U.S. Department of Defense as a Chinese company linked to the military, while there is broader U.S. political sensitivity around technology companies using components from Chinese companies facing government restrictions or scrutiny.
Q: Has Apple signed a final agreement with CXMT?
A: No. Available information indicates that the talks and testing remain at an early stage, and no final commercial agreement has been confirmed.
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