China's CXMT challenges SK hynix in LPDDR6 supply race for Xiaomi

China's memory giant CXMT has entered the race against South Korea's SK hynix to supply next-generation LPDDR6 memory for Xiaomi's newly unveiled Xring O3 processor, a key component for on-device artificial intelligence tasks.

China's largest memory maker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) joins SK hynix in race to supply LPDDR6 to Xiaomi, emerging as a prospective vendor for the Chinese smartphone maker's newly unveiled Xring O3 processor, according to a news report by Korea Herald. The development follows weeks after South Korea's SK hynix appeared as the expected initial provider of the next-generation low-power DRAM, which offers expanded bandwidth required for on-device artificial intelligence tasks.

CXMT's Bid for LPDDR6 Supply

Supply-chain sources stated that the component from CXMT was positioned for commercial adoption alongside the hardware, the Korea Herald said, citing The Beijing News. The Beijing News reported Tuesday, citing supply-chain sources, that CXMT's LPDDR6 "will be the first domestically produced memory to be paired with the Xring O3" and enter commercial use. The Chinese news outlet stated that CXMT had been supplying LPDDR6 samples to key customers since March and that validation was "nearing completion" this month. It said the company had made a "key leap" from technological catch-up toward competing alongside major global suppliers in the development and production window for LPDDR6.

Citing another Chinese financial media outlet, Yicai, the Korea Herald reported that the manufacturer reached the final stages of research and development testing. Yicai described the milestone as "an important step before mass production". The outlet noted that mobile memory standardisation followed sequential phases through chip-level verification, R&D validation, and pilot manufacturing before transitioning into commercial output. Neither report confirmed the initiation of full-scale mass manufacturing or commercial deliveries.

SK Hynix's Initial Lead

Earlier, Korean media reports in late July indicated that Xiaomi planned to become the inaugural recipient of SK hynix's LPDDR6 memory, with shipments scheduled for the second half of the year. SK hynix stated at the time that customer details could not be confirmed, while Xiaomi refrained from clarifying its sourcing framework for the processor.

Xiaomi's Next-Gen Xring O3 Processor

Xiaomi introduced the Xring O3 flagship system-on-chip on Monday, marking its second annual proprietary processor release. Founder and Chief Executive Lei Jun stated that the processor served as the first mobile platform supporting the LPDDR6 specification, reaching memory speeds of 113.8 gigabytes per second to register a 48 per cent increase compared to the prior O1 generation. TSMC agreed to manufacture the component using a 3-nanometer semiconductor process for Xiaomi's upcoming foldable smartphone, with targeted distribution between 200,000 and 300,000 units, according to Reuters.

DRAM Market Competition

Samsung Electronics previously displayed its LPDDR6 lineup in January at CES 2026, though the company did not publish a mass-manufacturing timeline.

Global DRAM supply remained concentrated among Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron, which accounted for a combined 89 per cent market revenue share during the first quarter of 2026, according to the Korea Herald, citing Counterpoint Research. CXMT expanded its DRAM market share to 8 per cent during the identical period, rising from 3 per cent recorded in the prior year as it broadened into updated product categories. (ANI)

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