Memory costs surge, Apple raises prices for MacBook and iPad, iPhone remains unaffected

AppleUp 25th June | On Thursday, Apple raised the prices of iPad and MacBook, stating it can no longer absorb for customers the surge in memory and storage chip costs caused by the artificial intelligence industry’s data center construction boom. This move will not affect Apple's main profit source—iPhone.The price increase indicates that even this consumer electronics company, with the industry's most envied supply chain relationships and the highest global market capitalization, cannot escape the impact of soaring memory prices—a trend that has cast a shadow over smartphone and personal computer sales prospects. Memory manufacturers such as Micron have in recent months prioritized orders from AI chipmakers like Nvidia. While this has helped these chip producers achieve record profits, it has resulted in severe shortages for electronics manufacturers, forcing them to raise prices.“We’ve never seen component prices climb this fast to such a degree,” Apple said in a statement. “So far, we have absorbed these increases for our customers, but now we have reached the point where we must start raising the prices of some products, including today’s price hike for iPad and Mac.”