Chinese memory manufacturer CXMT has refused a demand from Apple for a price cut during supply negotiations. Apple sought lower costs to ease pricing pressures for its current smartphones and the upcoming 2026 iPhone, but CXMT maintained its firm stance.
CXMT quoted prices to Apple that were at or above those of Korean suppliers Samsung and SK hynix. Domestic firms Huawei and Xiaomi have already locked in CXMT's DRAM output via high-priced agreements to secure supply amid ongoing US sanctions on China.
The move comes as Samsung and SK hynix shift focus toward high-value HBM chips for data centers. Apple has lobbied the US government for permission to use CXMT products in gadgets sold outside the US to diversify its memory supply chain options.