Trump Administration ‘Not in Favor’ of Apple Using Chinese RAM
The Wall Street Journal (gift link): To help alleviate the supply crunch, Apple is looking to Chinese manufacturers. “The Trump administration is not in favor of that,” Lutnick said in an interview after touring an Apple manufacturing facility in Houston. There have to be “other solutions to the memory issue, but it’s not great American companies using Chinese memory.” Asked if he has relayed…
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is exploring the possibility of using Chinese memory manufacturers to address its ongoing supply crunch. According to Lutnick, the Trump administration is not in favor of this approach, stating that it would be preferable for American companies to supply the memory. However, U.S. government regulations require foreign chip makers to obtain a license before sharing product information with American companies.
This would be a necessity if the Chinese manufacturers were to produce customized chips for Apple. On the other hand, Apple is permitted to procure off-the-shelf parts from these Chinese companies and negotiate prices with them. Apple's COO, Sabih Khan, was not able to confirm whether the company was testing Chinese memory chips during an interview, but he acknowledged that under the current supply shortage, all options must be considered, including collaborating with existing suppliers to boost domestic production in the U.S.
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