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Apple no longer needs U.S. approval to buy memory from China
A Chinese memory maker reportedly rejected Apple’s proposed price cuts, citing prices similar to or higher than SK Hynix and Samsung.
Yahoo Finance reports Apple had sought favorable pricing from memory suppliers by relying on dual sourcing, including lower-cost options from China, a strategy that previously gave Apple leverage over companies without comparable volume alternatives.
The shift comes as AI-driven memory demand has increased leverage for memory manufacturers such as Micron, which has criticized Apple’s past tactics. Apple has also raised prices on some products while lobbying for permission to import cheaper memory from China.
Recent reporting cited by Yahoo Finance says Chinese memory maker ChangXin Memory Technologies rejected Apple’s proposals for reduced pricing. Instead, CXMT’s cited prices were reportedly similar to, or even higher than, levels quoted by South Korean peers SK Hynix and Samsung.
With those pricing economics, Yahoo Finance says Apple would not need U.S. government approval because the cheaper Chinese alternative no longer pencils out. The outlet also links CXMT’s negotiating position to capacity commitments secured by domestic Chinese buyers like Huawei and Xiaomi under long-term contracts, changing the margin math for the companies involved.