Source: Financial Times (paywall)
Apple's evaluation of CXMT memory chips is a practical hedge against U.S. export controls and a signal of confidence in China's domestic semiconductor capabilities. The move positions CXMT as a geopolitical asset rather than a purely commercial vendor. It exposes the economic logic underlying tech decoupling: companies can't afford to treat the China market as a separate supply chain forever. Selective adoption of Chinese components in Chinese-sold products sidesteps direct U.S. sanctions while maintaining market access.