Apple Tests China's CXMT Memory Chips for iPhones and Macbooks Amid AI-Fueled Supply Crunch: Report
Key takeaways
- Apple's interest in CXMT memory chips is primarily about securing supply rather than cutting costs, amid a global memory supply crunch driven by AI infrastructure demand.
- 10% to 20% fewer A20 chips between the second half of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027
- 20% of memory capacity away from consumer electronics
- 2028: more than double the chipmaker's production capacity
What happened
Apple is reportedly testing memory chips from China's ChangXin Memory Technologies for iPhones and MacBooks amid a global memory supply crunch driven by AI infrastructure demand.
Why it matters
The move comes as Apple faces the possibility of tighter memory availability, and CXMT may offer limited relief due to its maxed-out capacity this year.
Short-term and longer-term
Short-term. Apple's testing of CXMT memory chips raises questions about the company's ability to secure supply in a market driven by AI infrastructure demand, and whether CXMT can provide sufficient relief.
Longer-term. Over the next few months, the question for Apple Tests China's is whether this changed the longer case, or it is one event in a longer story.