Chinese memory chipmaker rejects Apple orders
(ECNS) -- Chinese chipmaker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) has declined to supply memory chips to Apple, the technology news outlet Wccftech reported Sunday.
Memory chip suppliers typically offer substantial price discounts to secure long-term orders from major global customers. But when Apple asked CXMT for prices below those currently quoted by Micron, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the company reportedly refused.
Analysts said the move may reflect an effort by CXMT to prioritize customers in Chinese mainland because its production capacity is tight.
They said surging demand driven by AI has tightened global memory chip supplies, and major manufacturers are expanding production. CXMT aims to achieve self-sufficiency in dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and is expected to prioritize domestic customers over overseas buyers for an extended period, they said.
In its financial report released in August, CXMT said its DRAM chips had entered the supply chains of Chinese smartphone manufacturers including Xiaomi, Transsion, Honor, OPPO and vivo.
(By Gong Weiwei)