Apple is considering a politically sensitive solution for the memory crisis, and the US government is not pleased with it.

      Apple attributed its recent price increase to escalating memory costs, proposing a solution that includes seeking permissions related to a Pentagon blacklist.

      Recently, Apple announced an unwelcome price hike mid-cycle, citing the worsening memory crisis. According to the Financial Times, the company is lobbying the government to gain approval for acquiring memory chips from a Chinese manufacturer.

      The manufacturer in question is CXMT, a Chinese chip producer that the Pentagon has placed on its Blacklist of Chinese Military Companies due to purported connections with the Chinese military.

      So, what is Apple really requesting?

      Apple is not legally prohibited from procuring chips from a Chinese supplier. However, it is seeking the White House’s approval to do so without the political and reputational implications of being associated with a company listed by the Pentagon.

      Reports indicate that the Cupertino company approached the Commerce Department over a month ago and has since been engaged with various contacts in the administration to secure this approval.

      CXMT is recognized as China’s leading producer of DRAM chips and has already received clearance for listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. This is the same type of memory that Apple currently sources from Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix.

      Will Apple actually receive the approval?

      That remains uncertain. John Moolenaar, the Republican chairman of the House China Committee, expressed to the FT that such a move would be a significant error.

      The Commerce Department included CXMT in a proposed Entity List package last year; however, the White House withheld it during trade discussions with China.

      It's also important to mention that Apple faced similar criticism in 2022 when it contemplated sourcing memory from another Pentagon-listed Chinese chipmaker, YMTC, for iPhones sold solely in China.

      From my perspective, Apple's price increase on Thursday resulted in a $263 billion drop in market capitalization within a single day (its second-largest decline ever), prompting the company to be cautious about further damaging its reputation, especially with the government.

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      Apple's historically high charges for RAM upgrades on Macs have reached new absurdities.

      As the global memory crisis continues, the cost of Mac RAM upgrades has doubled.

      Apple’s Mac RAM upgrades have been notoriously expensive, but the recent price hikes have made some of them seem ludicrous. The company recently increased prices across its Mac and iPad ranges, citing rising costs for memory and storage. While the supply crunch is legitimate, Mac buyers were already paying inflated prices for RAM and SSD upgrades well before these increases. Recent screenshots of MacBook Pro configurations shared by 9to5Mac highlight just how much worse the upgrade options have become.

      Microsoft is introducing a new Screen Tint mode for Windows 11 that could benefit users’ eyes.

      Users will have the option to apply custom color overlays to mitigate screen brightness and visual strain.

      Microsoft is currently testing a new accessibility feature called Screen Tint for Windows 11, which may seem like a minor enhancement but could make a significant impact. Unlike Night Light, which alters the display's color temperature, Screen Tint applies a customizable color overlay to the entire screen, easing the strain on the eyes during extended working or gaming sessions.

      Motorola’s Pad 70 Pro surfaces as a competitive option as iPad prices rise, though it is not yet available for US buyers.

      With impressive specifications, a stylus included in the package, and no launch date for the US market, the Moto Pad 70 Pro presents both exciting and disappointing aspects.

      If you're unaware of Apple's recent price increase affecting nearly all products in its lineup except the iPhone and Apple Watch (for now), you must be quite out of touch. This adjustment has resulted in significantly higher prices for all iPads. In contrast, Motorola has just unveiled a 13-inch tablet that appears promising on paper, named the Moto Pad 70 Pro, priced at approximately $440 for the entry-level model. The downside is that it is not yet available in the US.