- Apple is lobbying the White House for approval to purchase memory chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), a Chinese company on the Pentagon's 1260H list of firms with alleged military ties.
- Apple seeks guarantees that CXMT will not be added to the U.S. Entity List, which would impose strict licensing restrictions amid ongoing trade tensions.
- To offset rising costs from a global memory chip shortage, Apple raised prices on Macs, iPads, home devices, and the Vision Pro headset.
- The memory crunch has impacted the tech industry, leading to higher prices and reduced output, with Apple warning of worsening shortages.
- The Pentagon recently restored CXMT and Yangtze Memory Technologies to the 1260H list after previously removing them, signaling potential future trade restrictions.
- While the 1260H list carries few immediate legal consequences, it is viewed as a red flag to investors that may precede more punitive measures.