Apple Raises Prices as AI-Driven Memory Costs Surge

Apple has raised prices on several products, including MacBook laptops, iPad tablets, HomePod speakers, and Apple TV devices, after a sharp jump in memory and storage chip costs. The company said the main driver is booming AI demand for data centers and advanced computing infrastructure, which is absorbing more semiconductor capacity and tightening supply for consumer electronics makers.

Apple said it had spent months trying to absorb the added costs instead of passing them on to buyers, but memory component prices rose to levels it can no longer fully bear. For now, the iPhone, Apple’s most important and profitable product, is not included in the increase, though the company warned that continued pressure on component prices could affect future models if the trend persists.

The price hikes are already visible in the U.S. market. A MacBook Air with 512 gigabytes of storage rose from $1,099 to $1,299, a MacBook Pro with 1 terabyte of storage went from $1,699 to $1,999, and the 128-gigabyte iPad Air increased from $599 to $749. Apple’s move comes as chip makers increasingly direct production toward AI firms and large data centers, with companies such as Nvidia buying huge volumes of chips.

According to TrendForce, DRAM prices jumped about 98% in the first quarter of 2026 and are expected to keep rising in the current quarter. The industry has already dubbed the shortage “RAMageddon.” The impact may extend beyond Apple, as other electronics makers could be forced to raise prices too. In Israel, U.S. price increases do not automatically translate into local retail changes because of exchange rates, imports, taxes, and importer decisions, but sustained global increases could make future models more expensive there as well.