Is Apple set to turn to China for its next memory partner? Mac maker reportedly searching for new partners as negotiations get tricky

• Apple reportedly exploring partnerships with Chinese memory makers to diversify its DRAM supply
• Chinese memory production scale is increasing, giving Apple potential leverage in contracts
• Apple aims to reduce dependency on Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron supplies

Apple is reportedly considering partnerships with Chinese memory manufacturers Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) and Changxin Storage (CXMT) as negotiations with major global suppliers remain challenging.

The iPhone maker faces quarterly price discussions with Kioxia and other established vendors, complicating efforts to stabilize costs for DRAM and NAND components.

This exploration of Chinese partners, reported by Ijiwei (via WCCFTECH) appears aimed at securing additional supply options and potentially reducing reliance on Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron.

Supplier landscape and memory constraints

Apple currently obtains around 60% of its DRAM from Samsung Electronics, with the remainder supplied by SK Hynix and Micron, whereas on the NAND side, Samsung, SK Hynix, and Kioxia provide most of the supply.

These arrangements require ongoing adjustments due to price fluctuations, which have doubled in some quarters, pressuring Apple’s margins and production planning.

RAM availability remains constrained, affecting forecasted output for several product lines, and in addition, HDD-based storage modules in certain devices continue to require careful supply monitoring.

In the face of these uncertainties, Chinese memory makers like YMTC and CXMT have expanded production capacity, with CXMT preparing for mass production of HBM3 memory chips.

While their chips do not yet match the performance levels of the established “big three,” the technology gap in NAND is narrower.

These developments suggest potential room for Apple to negotiate terms that could improve supply security and cost predictability.

Increasing production scale in China could provide additional volume to meet quarterly demand requirements for both DRAM and NAND.

However, engaging with Chinese suppliers, especially for advanced chips, carries operational, regulatory, and geopolitical risks.

Both YMTC and CXMT were briefly listed on the Pentagon’s restricted companies list, raising concerns over export controls and compliance obligations.

Any agreement must also ensure compatibility with Apple’s existing hardware designs, which will include HDD storage in specific configurations to prevent interruptions in manufacturing or product quality issues.

Apple’s move to consider YMTC and CXMT follows a period of memory price volatility and tighter supply in the first half of 2026.

Quarterly negotiation schedules with Kioxia and other suppliers increase complexity in maintaining consistent margins.

The company is expected to weigh additional memory channels against existing supply reliability, ensuring that production schedules for Mac and iPhone lines remain unaffected.

The exploration of Chinese partners occurs alongside ongoing efforts to manage the cost and availability of both DRAM and NAND for high-demand devices.

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