Apple NASDAQ:AAPL is reportedly in talks to purchase memory chips from Chinese semiconductor makers CXMT and YMTC as the company looks for ways to ease pressure from a global memory shortage. The discussions are still ongoing, and no final decision has been made, according to people familiar with the matter.
The potential move could draw scrutiny in Washington because both CXMT and YMTC are on the Pentagon's 1260H list of Chinese companies the US believes support Beijing's military. Apple would not need formal US approval to buy the chips, but the company could face political pushback from national security hawks and some Trump administration officials.
The talks come after Apple raised prices on Macs, iPads, home devices and the Vision Pro last week, citing a sharp memory-chip cost increase tied to AI-driven demand. By possibly limiting Chinese-made memory chips to devices sold in China, Apple may be trying to manage supply-chain pressure while reducing the risk of the same backlash that affected its earlier YMTC sourcing effort in 2022.