Apple Tests CXMT DRAM as It Weighs China Memory Supply Option

Apple has reportedly started testing DRAM from China’s CXMT, a move that shows the company is seriously studying new memory supply options for products sold in China.

Financial Times reported that Apple has begun testing CXMT’s DRAM products while it continues discussions in Washington over the use of China-sourced memory. CXMT remains a sensitive name because the company has been linked to China’s military ecosystem and appears on a Pentagon blacklist.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also reported that Apple has worked with the Trump administration to reduce possible political pressure if it uses memory from CXMT and YMTC in devices made for the Chinese market. This matters because Apple sells a large number of products in China and needs stable supply options in the region.

The business case still looks limited for now. CXMT’s available LPDDR capacity does not appear to give Apple a major pricing advantage over Samsung, SK hynix, or Micron, while much of CXMT’s broader production capacity already sits under long-term agreements. Apple would also face limits because this memory would likely apply only to products sold in China.

Still, CXMT has made fast progress in DRAM technology. The company is reportedly testing wafer-to-wafer hybrid bonding in Hefei, China, which can improve memory density, latency, and power efficiency by stacking storage cells and control logic more efficiently.

Bank of America has suggested that Apple can use CXMT as a negotiation tool with Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron. Even if Apple does not rely heavily on CXMT soon, testing its DRAM gives the company another option as memory supply and pricing remain important for future devices.