Apple Expands Supply Chain Including Chinese Semiconductor Companies

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] Foreign media reported that Apple is also considering importing Chinese-made memory due to the production halt at Japan's Kioxia.

According to Bloomberg on the 31st, Apple is reportedly searching for suppliers to secure memory for iPhones after one of its major suppliers, Kioxia, suspended factory operations last month due to raw material contamination issues.

Sources say that while Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are likely to take on this volume, Apple is also in talks with YMTC (Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd.), a subsidiary of China's Tsinghua Unigroup (Qinghua Ziguang). This is interpreted as Apple's attempt to diversify its supply chain to offset risks arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and logistics difficulties.

Apple is currently verifying samples of NAND flash semiconductors manufactured by YMTC. If Apple signs a contract with YMTC, it will be the first case of a Chinese company supplying semiconductors to Apple.

Sources also added that Apple might consider using YMTC's products for low-priced products like the iPhone SE.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.