Apple is reportedly exploring and lobbying for the use of memory chips from Chinese semiconductor makers that are subject to US government restrictions as the company faces higher DRAM and NAND costs. Multiple reports say Apple is testing DRAM chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), which appears on the US Defense Department’s blacklist of companies believed to have ties to the People’s Liberation Army, and is also pushing for regulatory clearance from the Trump administration to purchase chips from such suppliers. Bloomberg and other outlets report Apple is in negotiations with two Chinese firms on the Pentagon blacklist—CXMT for DRAM and Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC) for NAND flash—to reduce pressure from a global memory shortage.

The efforts come amid a broader market squeeze driven by AI-related demand from data centers, which shifts supply toward higher-margin memory used for servers and drives up prices for consumer electronics. Apple has raised prices on products including the iPad and MacBook lineups, while the company also seeks to structure any sourcing around devices sold in China. Reports note the process involves political and regulatory risk because purchasing from or exporting technology to these firms can be restricted, and approvals may be difficult. Talks are described as ongoing and not finalized.