Skyrocketing memory costs force Apple to readjust prices for MacBooks and iPads amid pressure from the AI industry
Apple announced on Thursday (25) the adjustment in the prices of its iPads and MacBooks. The company justified the measure by stating that it would no longer be possible to shield consumers against the escalating prices of memory and storage chips, a phenomenon driven by the accelerated expansion of data centers in the artificial intelligence industry.
This decision, however, does not affect the iPhone, the company’s flagship and main revenue generator. However, the starting price of the MacBook Neo, its most affordable laptop — designed to compete with low-cost Windows models and Chromebooks — will jump from $599 to $699, just a few months after its launch.
The price increase highlights that even the technology giant, recognized for its robust supply chain and unparalleled market value, cannot escape component inflation. This rise in memory costs is already negatively impacting sales projections for smartphones and personal computers in the global market.
In recent months, memory manufacturers such as Micron have geared their production to primarily fulfill orders from AI chip companies such as Nvidia. This strategy guaranteed record profits for them, but created a supply shortage for electronics producers, forcing them to pass on costs to consumers.
In a statement, Apple stated that it had never seen such a sharp and rapid increase in the value of a component. The company stated: “So far, we have been able to protect our customers from these increases, but we have reached a point where we need to start raising prices on several products, including those announced today for the iPad and Mac.”
On the official website, updated prices show that the MacBook Air, with 512 gigabytes of storage, has risen from US$1,099 to US$1,299. The MacBook Pro, equipped with 1 terabyte, went from US$1,699 to US$1,999. The iPad Air, with 128 gigabytes, had its cost increased from US$599 to US$749, among other changes announced.
In addition to computers and tablets, Apple also raised the prices of two versions of its HomePod smart speaker and Apple TV decoder. The company’s shares fell by almost 5%, while competitor Dell’s shares fell by more than 8% in the financial market.
Market analysts pointed out that other device manufacturers may be forced to apply even more significant price adjustments than Apple. The Cupertino giant, due to its consolidated ties with suppliers, has been more protected from the full impact of rising costs.
Ben Bajarin, CEO of technology consultancy Creative Strategies, assessed that the scenario for the memory market is quite complex and will remain structurally challenging in the near future.
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In April, Apple had already reported that its existing inventories contributed to keeping gross margins above Wall Street projections. However, the company warned that rising memory costs would begin to affect the market by the end of May, with a slight reduction in profitability expected.
In a conference call with analysts at the end of April, CEO Tim Cook highlighted the expectation of “significantly higher memory costs”.
The executive also stated that, for scenarios in which it was not possible to provide detailed information beyond June, it was certain that, from the June quarter onwards, memory costs would have a progressively greater impact on the company’s business.
Apple did not disclose what other measures, in addition to the price adjustment, were adopted to address the increase in memory components. The company only reinforced on Thursday: “We know this is not welcome news and we are working tirelessly to find solutions.”
Market analysts predict that Apple will also raise iPhone prices in the coming months. They suggest that the recent increase in the prices of other products may motivate some potential consumers to anticipate their purchases before further adjustments.
“The iPhone will not escape, its price increase is on the way,” said Nabila Popal, senior research director at IDC. She added that it was “incredibly strategic” for Apple to publicize these increases ahead of the iPhone’s fall launch, ensuring that launch news focuses on the value of the new devices rather than price adjustments.
The prices of dynamic RAM, essential in almost all modern gadgets, have seen an impressive climb. Data from market research company TrendForce indicates that there was an increase of up to 98% in the first quarter of 2026 and an expectation of a new increase of between 58% and 63% in the current quarter. This scenario has been dubbed “RAMageddon” by experts, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.
This intense appreciation, named by some experts as “RAMageddon”, is due to strong growth in the construction of artificial intelligence data centers. Companies like Nvidia have signed long-term contracts with memory manufacturers, who are rushing to expand their production capacity.
Micron announced Wednesday that it has secured $22 billion in long-term customer commitments. This movement demonstrates the urgency of companies in ensuring their memory supply in a volatile market.
The expectation is that the increase in the cost of components will have a strong impact on device sales this year. IDC, for example, projects the biggest annual drop ever recorded in the smartphone market, of almost 14%, and an 11.3% decline for the PC market. The MacBook Neo, launched in March, which initially boosted Apple’s sales projections for the June quarter and caused analysts to revise estimates, has now lost a crucial advantage. With the new price, it is US$100 more expensive than the US$699 XPS 13 laptop, launched by Dell to compete directly, and surpasses the values of some Chromebooks from Lenovo and Asus.
