Apple Seeks White House Approval for Chinese Memory Chips

Apple Inc. is testing memory chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) for use in iPhones and MacBooks as it seeks to mitigate a global RAM shortage caused by AI demand. The company is reportedly lobbying the White House for approval to use these components in products sold within China.

U.S. lawmakers have responded with bipartisan opposition, citing national security risks. Senators Jim Banks and Chuck Schumer have called on the company to cease its lobbying efforts, noting that CXMT and Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC) have links to the Chinese military. YMTC is already included on the U.S. Entity List.

Lawmakers have urged Apple to abandon its pursuit of Chinese RAM by August 21. Opponents warn that reliance on these suppliers could jeopardize the U.S. government's use of Apple products and undermine initiatives to return manufacturing jobs to the United States. This move comes as CEO Tim Cook has previously raised product prices to offset increasing chip costs.