TL;DRApple is lobbying the US government for approval to buy memory chips from CXMT, which sits on the Pentagon’s military blacklist.
Apple has been lobbying Commerce Department officials and other members of the Trump administration for approval to buy memory chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies, according to the Financial Times. CXMT is China’s largest DRAM manufacturer and sits on the Pentagon’s list of companies with alleged ties to the Chinese military. Six people familiar with the discussions told the FT that Apple first approached the Commerce Department more than a month ago.
Apple is not currently barred from buying CXMT chips. The company appears on the Pentagon’s so-called 1260H list, a designation that carries reputational risk and restricts Defence Department contracting but does not impose the kind of trade restrictions that would prevent a private company from doing business with it. What Apple is seeking, according to the FT, is a guarantee that CXMT will not be added to the Commerce Department’s Entity List, a separate and far more restrictive designation that would require American buyers to obtain a licence before purchasing its products.
The lobbying comes as Apple faces the most severe memory shortage in its recent history. The company raised prices across its Mac, iPad, and home device lineups on June 25, with increases ranging from $100 to $500 per product. The MacBook Air 13-inch went from $1,099 to $1,299, the MacBook Pro 16-inch rose from $2,499 to $2,999, and Vision Pro climbed by $500.
