Apple Seeks Approval to Import CXMT Chips and Raises Device Prices
AAPL•Apple lobbied the White House and Commerce Department for clearance to purchase memory chips from blacklisted Chinese manufacturer CXMT, which faces Entity List export restrictions. It also raised iPad and MacBook prices to offset soaring memory and storage costs driven by AI data center buildouts.
1. Lobbying for CXMT Chip Imports
Apple initiated a formal request more than a month ago with the Commerce Department and engaged senior administration officials to secure a license to import memory chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT). CXMT was designated on the Pentagon’s Entity List as a Chinese military-linked firm, requiring a special export license for U.S. companies, which is rarely granted under current national security rules.
2. Device Price Increases to Offset Costs
This week Apple implemented price hikes on its iPad and MacBook lines, citing an inability to absorb rising memory and storage expenses without passing them to consumers. The company attributed the cost surge to increased demand for high-bandwidth memory driven by AI data center expansions, highlighting persistent margin pressures on its hardware business.
