Chinese memory-maker CXMT claims DRAM production breakthrough

ASIA IN BRIEF Chinese memory-maker CXMT, whose products Apple has reportedly evaluated to use in the iPhone, claims to have made a miniaturization breakthrough.

The company on Sunday posted news that it has started mass production of chips made with a fifth-generation process that essentially doubles memory density, meaning it can cut twice the number of dies for memory chips from a single wafer.

CXMT says its key breakthrough is a high-k dielectric metal gate process – a way of insulating silicon to improve efficiency – adapted to baking DRAM.

The company claims its new process puts it on par with rival memory-makers.

The proof of the pudding is apparently a pair of LPDDR5X memory modules for smartphones or other high-end consumer electronics.

Both products boast 24GB of memory.

If CXMT’s claims of improved density and mass production are correct – and the new products aren’t too pricey – it’s good news for Chinese electronics manufacturers who, like their global peers, are struggling to source affordable memory thanks to supply chain crunches caused by demand for AI-related products.

That shortage recently saw Apple hike iPhone prices by $100 and led the GSM Association to warn that rising smartphone prices threaten to slow digital inclusion.

Democratic governments, however, are mostly uncomfortable with allowing their smartphone manufacturers to use Chinese components.

India starts charging fees for instant payments India’s National Payments Corporation (NCP) last week introduced fees to use its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for the first time.

UPI is an instant payment scheme provided by India’s government.

It allows transfer of funds between participants, which include over 700 local banks and many e-wallet providers.

It also allows person-to-person payments.

The scheme is a ubiquitous option even at small retailers across India, and one of the world’s busiest payment schemes with over 24 billion monthly transactions.