Apple is reportedly testing Chinese memory chips for possible use in future iPhones and MacBooks. The move comes as the company scrambles to secure memory supply during a global shortage.

The tests, which might span multiple product lineups, follows early talks with Chinese chipmaker ChangXin Memory Technologies about supplying components. Apple also seems to be seeking approval from the White House before moving forward with deals involving devices sold in China.

Chinese memory chips could ease Apple’s supply crunch

The global memory shortage driven by AI is forcing Apple into an uncomfortable position: looking to China for components it normally sources from a handful of established suppliers. Using those chips could give Apple another lever to help control soaring memory costs and protect supply for the iPhone and Mac. However, it also would put the company squarely in the middle of U.S.-China technology restrictions.

Even if the hardware works, Apple would need to navigate export rules and political pressure.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the testing on Sunday. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal reported that Apple has held discussions with CXMT about using its RAM chips in China.

CXMT — China’s largest chipmaker by market value — already supplies memory chips to other major electronics makers. HP and Acer started using CXMT chips in laptops sold outside the United States to ease their supply shortages.

Apple raised prices across much of its lineup this year, citing rising memory costs. Gaining access to Chinese memory supply could help ease that pressure. Still, any deal remains far from certain.

Export rules complicate a potential deal

U.S. rules bar American companies from sharing technical details with CXMT. That same restriction effectively prevents Apple from ordering custom-designed chips from the company.

Export lawyer Kevin Wolf told the Journal that Apple can still buy off-the-shelf CXMT parts and negotiate pricing directly with the company. What it cannot do is collaborate on chip specifications — a step Apple typically takes with its memory suppliers.

Apple usually configures memory chips to work closely with its custom silicon. This means using standard, off-the-shelf parts from CXMT could require some redesign work. Or, Apple might accept certain performance trade-offs to make things work.

The political backdrop adds another layer of complexity. A bipartisan group of senators, led by Chuck Schumer, weighed in on the matter last month. They asked Apple to rule out using memory chips from CXMT and Yangtze Memory Technologies, another Chinese chipmaker. Apple is expected to respond by August 21.

Even if Apple stays fully within the rules, it might still want some sort of political cover from the Trump administration, given how politically sensitive the issue has become.

CXMT has limited capacity to spare

If Apple buys from CXMT, it wouldn’t immediately fix the company’s supply problems. Even if a deal comes together, the timing looks difficult. The Chinese chipmaker reportedly maxed out its production capacity for the year, leaving little room for new international buyers.

In addition, CXMT prioritizes domestic clients like ByteDance, Tencent and Xiaomi. Its pricing remains close to that of established suppliers like Micron, SK Hynix and Samsung. And at times, CXMT even prices its chips above those competitors.

The company is the world’s fastest-growing supplier of DRAM chips, with plans to more than double production capacity by 2028. Whether it ever supplies chips for an iPhone or a MacBook remains an open question. For now, that answer may come down to politics as much as production capacity.

Anurag Chawake is a tech-focused writer specializing in smartphones, apps and consumer technology. His interest in computers began during the Windows 98 era, eventually leading him to explore everything from operating systems to mobile devices and PC hardware. Anurag previously contributed to The Indian Express, covering Apple, Android, gaming and the broader technology landscape.