Apple is in talks to buy memory chips from Chinese makers CXMT and YMTC for devices sold in China, as it seeks to ease a global memory squeeze that has pushed up component costs.

The discussions remain ongoing and no final agreement has been reached.

Tim Cook also appealed to Trump administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, to limit the political fallout.

The move would add a DRAM supplier and a NAND supplier.

CXMT makes DRAM, and YMTC makes NAND flash. Both companies have grown but still sell most of their output in China.

The supply backdrop has tightened as AI server demand absorbs capacity.

TrendForce says conventional DRAM contract prices could rise 58–63% quarter on quarter in the second quarter of 2026, while NAND flash contract prices could rise 70–75%.

CXMT and YMTC remain on the Pentagon’s Section 1260H list, which does not impose sanctions directly but raises reputational and compliance risks.

The list also triggers Defense Department contracting restrictions later in 2026 and, for indirect procurement, in June 2027.

YMTC has also been on a separate US Commerce Department entity list since 2022.

Apple currently buys memory from Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron.

Adding the two Chinese suppliers would bring its total number of memory suppliers to five.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

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