Apple is facing a new challenge that could directly affect the price of the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro. New leaks indicate that the company will not be able to use Chinese memory chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) in the phone due to technical restrictions related to the device's new design, which could keep production costs high.

These developments come at a time when Apple is trying to diversify its memory suppliers to reduce the impact of global supply shortages and rising component prices. However, this step may not bear fruit with the higher-end phones in the next generation.

New design prevents use of CXMT memory

According to the report, Apple is working on changing the design of the iPhone 18 Pro by relying on the WMCM technology, which moves the random access memory (DRAM) chips from above the processor to its side, instead of the PoP technology currently used.

This design requires close cooperation between processor developers and memory suppliers, giving Samsung and SK Hynix a significant advantage due to years of joint work with Apple. As for Chinese company CXMT, it does not have enough time to develop chips compatible with this design before the phone's production starts, making its use in iPhone 18 Pro unlikely.

Apple expands its supply chain, but not to reduce prices

Although Apple is already testing memory chips from CXMT and also considering adding Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) to its list of suppliers, the primary goal is not cost reduction, but rather ensuring sufficient availability of memory chips in the coming years.

Estimates indicate that AI-specific data centers may consume between 15% and 20% of the production capacity of memory chips aimed at consumer electronics by 2027, which could lead to continued pressure on prices and supplies.

According to leaks, CXMT chips might appear in standard iPhone 18 models, possibly limited to Chinese market versions, while iPhone 18 Pro models will continue to rely on traditional suppliers, potentially contributing to the sustained high price when it is released.