存储芯片价格飙升正成为苹果的沉重负担。苹果首席执行官库克频繁往返白宫，游说特朗普政府、商务部长卢特尼克和财长贝森特批准苹果在美国以外市场销售的产品中采用中国长鑫和长江存储的芯片[1]。库克表示这是他职业生涯从未见过的供应链危机[1]。
芯片成本激增迫使苹果做出了大幅涨价的决定。过去一年部分成熟存储芯片价格翻了四倍，其中12GB LPDDR5X颗粒单季度涨幅接近90%[1]；高盛预测2026年DRAM全年涨幅将达到250%至280%[1]。存储芯片成本占比从原本的10%至15%飙升至30%至40%，部分低端机型甚至逼近50%[1]。为此苹果调整了产品定价——Mac、iPad全系上调15%至25%，顶配款涨价超过三千元，Vision Pro也随之涨价[1]。苹果股价因此单日暴跌6%[1]。
然而苹果的游说面临美光的坚决反对。美光首席执行官梅赫罗特拉表示，批准使用中国芯片将导致美国存储产业彻底完蛋[1]。美光因芯片短缺获利丰厚，毛利率飙升至80%以上[1]，同时承诺在美国投入2500亿美元扩产[1]。
中国存储产业的崛起已成现实。长鑫的全球DRAM市占率在2026年一季度已达到8%，稳居全球第四[1]；该公司月产能年底将达35万片，无限逼近美光的38.5万片[1]。中国存储芯片的整体市占率从去年的两成多暴涨至如今的半壁江山[1]。
Apple has launched a lobbying campaign with the U.S. government to permit the use of Chinese-made storage chips from DRAM producers Changxin Memory and Yangtze Memory in products sold outside the United States, seeking relief from surging chip costs [1]. CEO Tim Cook has made repeated visits to the White House to advocate for this policy change to President Trump, Commerce Secretary Lutnick, and Treasury Secretary Bessent [1].
The move comes as storage chip prices have skyrocketed, driven partly by AI-related demand. According to TechInsights, some mature storage chip prices have quadrupled over the past year, with 12GB LPDDR5X components seeing quarterly price increases of nearly 90% [1]. Goldman Sachs has raised its forecast for full-year DRAM price growth in 2026 to between 250% and 280% [1]. The cost of storage components in Apple's products has surged from 10-15% of total manufacturing costs to 30-40%, with some lower-end models approaching 50% [1]. In response, Apple has raised prices across its product lines, including 15-25% increases for Mac and iPad models and adjustments to Vision Pro pricing [1]. Cook has described the situation as a supply chain crisis unprecedented in his career, with Apple's stock price falling 6% in a single trading session [1].
Micron Technology, the leading U.S. memory chip manufacturer, strongly opposes the proposal [1]. CEO Mehrotra has warned that permitting Chinese chip use would result in the complete collapse of the American storage industry [1]. Micron's gross margins have surged above 80% amid tight supply conditions [1]. The company has committed to investing $250 billion in U.S. production expansion [1].
Chinese memory producers have rapidly gained market share during the price surge. Changxin Memory achieved a global DRAM market share of 8% in the first quarter of 2026, ranking fourth worldwide [1]. By year's end, Changxin's monthly production capacity is expected to reach 350,000 wafers, approaching Micron's 385,000 wafers [1]. Combined, Chinese storage manufacturers have increased their global market share from roughly 20% last year to approximately 50% at present [1].
