Apple is ‘playing with fire’ by including Chinese components in iPhone 14, US congressmen warn

US congressmen have warned that Apple is playing with fire including Chinese components in iPhone 14. According to Financial TimesMarco Rubio, vice president of the Senate Intelligence Committee, threatened the Cupertino company with unprecedented scrutiny. if you are using Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) components. The semiconductor company is linked to the Communist Party and is currently under investigation by the Department of Commerce.

Legislators were alarmed to learn that YMTC to produce NAND flash chips for iPhone 14. Report Business Korea indicates that Apple has added the semiconductor company to a list of suppliers that includes Samsung, SK Hynix and Kioxia. Cupertino’s strategy is to lower memory prices and diversify its customers.

The problem is that YMTC is considered a state-owned company, since the Chinese government owns 24 percent of the shares. In addition, the company under investigation for alleged violation of Huawei’s veto policy. According to the Ministry of Commerce, Yangtze Memory Technologies supplied chips to a Chinese technology company for use in one of its smartphones.

Communist Party to use iPhone 14 to ‘spy on Americans’

In comments that sound like something out of the Cold War, Michael McCall, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that Apple will transfer knowledge and experience to YMTC. This will “enhance its capabilities and help the Communist Party achieve its national goals.” In the eyes of legislators iPhone 14 will become a spy device to collect data from US users.

At the warning of congressmen, Apple Says It Didn’t Integrate YMTC Chips into iPhone 14. The technology company has confirmed that it will do so in the future, but in other iPhone models that will be sold exclusively in China. In any case, all data of its users is protected by encryption.

Yangtze Memory Technology largest manufacturer of memory chips in China. Last April, a Commerce Department spokesman said the company ignored Huawei’s veto and sold NAND memory to integrate it into the budget Enjoy 20e smartphone. Congressmen think that The Communist Party will be behind the growth of YMTC thanks to subsidies and contracts with various manufacturers.

Experts expect Joe Biden administration unlikely to list YMTC black list prohibited companies. However, Democratic senators – the party in power – also expressed concern about the agreement between Apple and a company associated with the Communist Party.