A new report suggests that Apple may be working on diversifying its memory chip supply chains in order to help resolve supply shortages. Working together with more companies would also help Apple to reduce its dependence on a handful of companies, and have a few backup manufacturers in case of shortages or issues.

Bloomberg (via SamMobile) reports that Apple might want to diversify its memory chip supply chain for future iPhones. Apple is currently using memory chips from Samsung and SK Hynix Inc.. The partnership with other providers would allow Apple to mitigate the risks of supply shortages and reduce its dependence on one or two manufacturers.

Apple is reportedly having talks with Chinese semiconductor Yangtze Memory Technologies, and it has already conducted tests on whether the company can meet Apple’s standards. The semiconductor company is based in Wuhan, and it was founded back in 2016. It’s a young company, and it’s backed by Tsinghua Unigroup, which is a semiconductor manufacturer giant.

Digitimes recently reported that the chips from Yangtze Memory Technologies have already passed Apple’s validation tests. The company will reportedly start producing and supplying chips in low quantities in May. The report also says that the company is trying to convince Apple that it is ready and it has all of the materials to start scaling up production to meet Apple’s demands.

The memory chips from the company are reportedly at least a generation behind Samsung and other suppliers, which means that they will likely be used in cheaper and more affordable devices, such as the iPhone SE, and perhaps the standard iPad, which still packs large bezels. It’s unlikely that users will notice any differences between these chips, given that Apple is known to be a great company when it comes to optimizing its devices. Analysts recently reported that demand for the new iPhone SE 2022 has been very low, and the company went as far as reducing its production.

iPhone SE 2022 RED
Apple iPhone SE (2022)

The latest iPhone SE 2022 comes with 5G and the A15 Bionic Chip, the same SoC that powers the iPhone 13 series of flagship devices. The new iPhone SE is the most affordable iPhone in Apple’s lineup, and it comes with new camera features and improved battery life.