The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday (August 9) that Apple is testing storage chips produced by China's Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) across multiple product lines, including the iPhone and MacBook, in an effort to alleviate component supply shortages driven by the surge in artificial intelligence demand. YMTC is currently the highest-valued chip manufacturer in China.
The ongoing AI boom continues to consume memory production capacity globally, leading to tight global memory supply. HP and Acer have already begun using YMTC chips in overseas models. Now, Apple’s initiation of testing and supplier negotiations serves not only to diversify its supply chain, counterbalance traditional suppliers like Samsung and Micron, and ease pressures from component shortages and price hikes, but also reflects Apple’s recognition of YMTC’s steadily maturing technological capabilities and expansion potential. Apple plans to prioritize testing these chips in devices sold in the Chinese market, balancing geopolitical risks and domestic market demand. This marks a significant milestone: domestically-produced memory chips have now gained formal recognition from a top-tier international consumer electronics giant. However, whether this collaboration will ultimately materialize still depends on U.S. regulatory scrutiny. The development also underscores the steady progress of China’s domestic semiconductor industry in breaking the long-standing overseas monopoly.
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Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873084913362954/
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