Apple raised prices today on its Mac computers and iPads, a week after CEO Tim Cook said the surge in memory and storage chip costs would force the company to act, according to The Wall Street Journal. The company briefly took down its online store early in the morning, as it often does before product launches, and then returned with higher prices in place.
Mac prices increased by about 15% to 20%, while iPad prices rose by 15% to 25%. The base MacBook Air went up by $200 to $1,299, the base MacBook Pro by $300 to $1,999, and the entry-level MacBook Neo by $100 to $699. The iPad Air increased by $150 to $749, and the iPad Pro by $200 to $1,199. iPhone prices were unchanged, but Apple signaled that more increases could follow.
Apple said, “We have now reached the point where we need to start raising prices.” It added, “We have never seen a component price increase of this magnitude and this speed.” The timing comes amid a broader spike in chip costs, especially for memory and storage components.
The move came one day after U.S. memory and storage maker Micron reported exceptionally strong quarterly results, with gross margins above 80%. Micron shares jumped 16% in premarket trading. Company executives, who usually give cautious forecasts for the volatile memory market, said tight market conditions would continue beyond 2027, revising a forecast made just three months ago that said the tightness would last only beyond this year.
