--- title: "Apple Tests CXMT Memory: Diversification Strategy or iPhone Trap?" description: "🇺🇸 Apple has started testing CXMT memory for iPhone and MacBook in China. 🇨🇳 WSJ: Goal is cost reduction, but US approval is required. ⚠️ Risks: CXMT capacity shortage and possible technical compromises. 📉 Analyst opinion: Technology gap may make Apple's plan unprofitable. #Apple #CXMT #iPhone #Technology #WSJ" date: 2026-08-10T23:39:58.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/apple-tests-cxmt-memory-diversification-strategy-or-iphone-trap tags: [apple, cxmt, iphone, macbook, memory-chips, wsj, supply-chain, china-tech] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Apple Tests CXMT Memory: Diversification Strategy or iPhone Trap? ![CXMT LPDDR5X memory chip on motherboard: Apple tests alternative to Samsung for iPhone](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/11/apple-testirovat-pamyat-cxmt-strategiya-diversifikacii/apple-testirovat-pamyat-cxmt-strategiya-diversifikacii-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Apple has started testing LPDDR5X memory chips from Chinese CXMT for devices on the Chinese market. - Lawyers consider the purchase of standard chips legal, but Apple is seeking official approval from US authorities. - CXMT ranks 4th in the world by revenue but is experiencing a shortage of production capacity. - There is contradictory data regarding the real economic benefit and technological level of CXMT memory. Amidst rising geopolitical tensions and a drive to reduce costs, Apple, according to The Wall Street Journal, has begun actively testing memory chips produced by the Chinese company CXMT (ChangXin Memory Technologies). This initiative aims to potentially integrate Chinese LPDDR5X chips into future generations of iPhone smartphones and MacBook laptops sold in China. This decision marks a significant step in Tim Cook's team's attempt to diversify supply chains, although it is fraught with serious legal and technical risks. ### Legal Risks and the Need for US Approval The key obstacle to implementing this plan is US legislation. Apple is well aware that purchasing components from a Chinese manufacturer under Washington's close scrutiny is impossible without explicit permission from American authorities. According to interviewed lawyers, current regulations do not prohibit the purchase of standard memory chips that do not require deep customization for a specific client. Nevertheless, Apple seeks official approval from the current administration as insurance against possible abrupt changes in trade policy or shifts in the mood of the US President. ### Economic Viability and Competition with Samsung The main driver of Apple's interest in CXMT is potential savings. The Chinese manufacturer offers lower product costs, which could significantly reduce the cost of devices. However, the economic picture is not so clear: at the moment, CXMT's products do not appear more attractive in price on general terms compared to products from Western competitors such as Samsung or SK Hynix. Furthermore, using memory that lags behind the basic specifications of Western giants' products will require Apple engineers to significantly adapt the architecture of their devices. ### Contradictory Data While The Wall Street Journal and several other sources report on the start of testing and negotiations, analytical reports (specifically materials published on msn.com) point to possible failures of Apple's strategy. According to alternative data, the gap in deep ultraviolet lithography (DUV) technology costs between CXMT and market leaders is so large that CXMT cannot offer competitive prices, effectively blocking the success of Apple's "gambit." There is a version that Apple's attempts to change suppliers could result in financial losses for iPhone end-users, as Chinese memory may be less efficient or require more expensive integration. ### Production Capacity Issues Even assuming agreements are reached and permits obtained, Apple will face a shortage problem. CXMT currently has no free production capacity to meet the required supply volumes for the current year. The company prioritizes its main Chinese clients. CXMT's current partners, such as HP Inc. and Acer, which already use this memory in devices for markets outside the US, have received only minimal volumes and expect quota increases only next year. CXMT's new production lines will not start operations before 2028, making scaling supplies for Apple in the short term practically impossible. ### CXMT Market Prospects Despite the difficulties, CXMT is showing impressive growth dynamics. In the first quarter of the current year, the company's revenue increased more than eight times year-on-year. It currently ranks fourth in the world by revenue, controlling about 7% of the memory market. Analysts predict that in the foreseeable future, CXMT will enter the top three global memory manufacturers. However, for Apple, integrating this partner remains a complex task, balancing between savings, technological compromises, and geopolitical risks. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Apple's CXMT gambit collapses: DUV cost gap locks in Samsung's pricing power](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/general/apple-s-cxmt-gambit-collapses-duv-cost-gap-locks-in-samsung-s-pricing-power/ar-AA29sAjf) - Источник указывает на возможный провал стратегии из-за разницы в стоимости технологий. - [Apple picked a fight with the wrong company, and iPhone buyers could be the ones paying for it](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/apple-picked-a-fight-with-the-wrong-company-and-iphone-buyers-could-be-the-ones-paying-for-it/ar-AA29xXWJ) - Источник указывает на возможный провал стратегии из-за разницы в стоимости технологий. - [Apple starts testing cheaper Chinese RAM inside iPhones, but your pocket won’t feel the ease](https://www.digitaltrends.com/phones/apple-starts-testing-cheaper-chinese-ram-inside-iphones-but-your-pocket-wont-feel-the-ease/) - Подтверждено по источнику digitaltrends.com - [WSJ: Apple starts testing Chinese CXMT memory on iPhone and MacBook](https://overclockers.ru/blog/Nacvark/show/261369/WSJ-Apple-nachala-testirovanie-kitajskoj-pamyati-CXMT-na-iPhone-i-MacBook) - Основной источник фактов о начале тестирования и деталях переговоров. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Why is Apple considering memory from CXMT? **A:** The main reason is the potentially lower cost of chips compared to Western competitors, which would allow reducing device prices. ### Q: Can Apple purchase memory from a Chinese company? **A:** According to lawyers, purchasing standard chips is not prohibited by US law, but Apple is seeking official permission as a safety measure. ### Q: Will CXMT be able to supply memory in the required volumes? **A:** In the current year, CXMT has no free capacity for large-scale supplies. New factories will not start operations before 2028.