The NYT and WSJ on Apple, China, and the RAM Crisis
Kalley Huang, reporting from San Francisco, and Ana Swanson, from Washington, for The New York Times (gift link): Apple, which has cited the memory chip shortage for recent price increases, is working with other consumer electronics companies to push for permission to buy memory chips from China, which faces certain restrictions, seven people said. Apple was in talks in 2022 to buy memory chips…
Both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal report that Apple is seeking permission to acquire memory chips from China to address a shortage affecting its products. The memory chip shortage has prompted Apple to consider buying from Chinese firms, despite restrictions in place.
Apple has been in discussions with Chinese memory chip maker Yangtze Memory Technologies Corporation (YMTC) since 2022, but these talks were halted due to pressure from U.S. lawmakers. Critics argue that Apple's commitment to moving its supply chain to the United States has been minimal, and that China is also experiencing its own chip crunch, making it a risky supplier.
The Wall Street Journal adds that Apple has been testing memory chips from China's CXMT across various product lines, including iPhones and MacBooks. The goal is to incorporate these chips into some devices sold in China. However, Apple believes obtaining the White House's approval for such a partnership is necessary.
Despite these efforts, it appears that Apple may not receive the necessary government clearance to use Chinese RAM, even for devices sold in China. Moreover, even if permission were granted, it might not significantly alleviate the supply crunch. This is because CXMT has reached its production capacity for the year, leaving limited room for new international clients.
Written by urgent.news from Daring Fireball's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.