Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Apple has raised prices on its MacBooks, iPads, and several other devices, citing skyrocketing memory and storage chip costs driven by the artificial intelligence boom. The price increases, which took effect on Thursday, June 25, 2026, mark the first concrete sign that the massive industry-wide investment in AI infrastructure is directly impacting consumer electronics prices.
On Apple's U.S. website, the increases range from $30 to $300, depending on the product. The 14-inch MacBook Pro now retails for $2,000, up from $1,700, while the iPad Air rose from $600 to $750. The entry-level MacBook Air with 512GB of storage jumped from $1,099 to $1,299, and the 1TB MacBook Pro increased from $1,699 to $1,999. The newly launched MacBook Neo, Apple's budget laptop, now starts at $699, $100 higher than its March debut price. The Apple TV streaming device saw a significant 54 per cent increase, rising from $130 to $200.
Apple attributed the decision to "the rapid expansion of AI data centers," which has "created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage". The company stated, "We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly". This surge has forced memory chip manufacturers to prioritise higher-margin AI server components over consumer-grade chips, creating a shortage and driving up prices. Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) prices, a key component in most electronic devices, jumped by as much as 98 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 and are expected to rise further.
Apple CEO Tim Cook had previously warned of "unavoidable" price increases, telling The Wall Street Journal last week, "There's less supply at a time when consumers want devices and the memory guys are passing along huge price increases". Apple says it had "shielded our customers from these increases so far" but could no longer absorb the rising costs. The company's shares fell more than 6.5 per cent following the announcement.
The iPhone remains unaffected for now, but analysts warn prices could rise with new models expected this fall. The price hikes extend to the HomePod speaker, Vision Pro headset, and the iPad Mini, all of which saw increases. Competitors like Microsoft have already raised prices on their Surface laptops, and the broader PC market is projected to decline by 11.3 per cent in 2026 as higher costs dampen demand.
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