The 600 Million Gap
The 600 million GB figure covers Apple's total memory needs for China, from iPhones to servers. CXMT, the local memory maker, doesn't have the capacity to supply that volume in the next few years. That leaves Apple with a shortfall it has to fill elsewhere.
This isn't a small mismatch. It's a structural gap that stays open for years. With CXMT's output capped through 2027, the arithmetic is simple: demand outruns supply, and the buyer ends up in a weak position.
A Global Supply Squeeze
The DRAM shortage is not unique to Apple. The industry has been running near full capacity, and there's no new wave of output coming online soon. That means server makers, phone builders, and data center operators are all competing for the same limited chips.
When supply is that
