Is Apple About to Get a Trump-Approved Pass on Chinese Memory Chips?
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A somewhat iffy leaker based in China claims that US President Donald Trump’s administration will use Apple’s request to purchase memory from Chinese firm CXMT as leverage with the Chinese President when they meet in September. While the rumor makes sense, there’s no solid indication these are the administration’s plans.
As we reported earlier this month, Apple, like other tech companies around the globe, is trying to secure a large enough memory supply for its iPhone and Mac lineups. The company has been testing memory chips from Chinese manufacturer CXMT. Unfortunately, the firm is on the Pentagon’s Chinese Military Company Blacklist — the 1260H list — which includes companies with connections to the People’s Liberation Army and that could be considered a risk to US national security.
While the Pentagon blacklist doesn’t explicitly prohibit Apple from buying chips from CXMT — and as far as we can tell, the iPhone maker doesn’t plan to use the chips in devices headed for US store shelves — the Defense Department is not allowed to make agreements with any of the companies on the list, nor purchase and use products or services from any third parties that obtain components from those companies.
Apple would also understandably prefer to not anger the Trump administration, which led to it asking the administration for clearance to buy the Chinese chips.
The Weibo leaker “Mobile Chip Expert,” as reported by Wccftech, is now claiming that the idea is gaining some traction among members of the administration. The leaker claims that the White House is investigating the matter and is pondering how it could best use Apple’s request to its advantage. The White House is said to be planning to grant Apple permission to buy the memory chips it needs from CXMT, as well as fellow Chinese memory firm YMTC, which makes NAND flash storage chips.
The alleged plan is for US President Trump to announce the granting of the request soon after he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in September. The Weibo leaker says the announcement would be seen as a “gift,” with the aim of encouraging more commercial ties between the two countries.
One point in favor of the US agreeing to allow Apple’s memory purchase is the claim that the memory purchased from the Chinese firms would be used solely in devices destined for Chinese store shelves. Apple’s idea is to use the Chinese supply to offset the costs of the memory it purchases from other sources for devices sold in the US and the rest of the world. Such an agreement would lessen the impact on national security — and certainly the Trump Administration’s political pride.
It also gives Washington a valuable bargaining chip when negotiating international trade relations.
However, like all rumors, this one should be taken with a bit more than a grain of your favorite salt substitute. The entire story is based solely on a post by a Weibo account called “Mobile Chip Expert.” While we have been known to publish articles about plenty of Apple-related rumors in the past, we generally also recommend a bit of healthy skepticism, and this one is no exception to the rule.
Keep your eyes and ears open for further news.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
