Apple hikes the prices of MacBooks and iPads because of memory chip shortage | CNN Business - CNN

Apple has raised prices on several of its popular products, including the MacBook and iPad, due to increased costs of memory and storage chips driven by the AI boom. The price hikes affect the MacBook... Read original →

The AI data center frenzy for HBM and DRAM is triggering a 'chip crowding-out effect' in consumer electronics. Apple’s MacBook and iPad price hikes reveal its vulnerability in memory procurement—lacking long-term supply pacts as Micron prioritizes NVIDIA and Microsoft. This erodes Apple’s mid-tier pricing edge and signals industry-wide normalization of cost pass-through. Samsung and MediaTek may accelerate vertical integration in memory to hedge risks, while Taiwan, China-based suppliers face compounding pressures from geopolitics and misaligned capacity. If AI capex stays elevated, NAND/DRAM spot volatility could breach historical norms within 18 months, forcing more brands to abandon no-increase pricing. Apple’s untouched iPhone pricing is a defensive move to protect its premium core—but hardware margin compression is now inevitable.