Apple hikes prices for Macs, iPads and other devices amid memory shortage
Apple announced price increases for several Mac and iPad models, as well as HomePod, Apple TV and Vision Pro, citing rising memory and storage component costs linked to AI demand.
Apple said it will raise the prices of multiple Mac and iPad products as component costs climb. The entry-level MacBook Neo will cost $699, up from $599, while the base MacBook Air rises to $1,299 from $1,099 and the MacBook Pro to $1,999 from $1,699. The Mac Studio desktop now starts at $2,499, an increase of $500.
iPad prices also go up: the iPad Air moves to $749 from $599, the iPad Pro to $1,199 from $999, the base iPad with an A16 chip to $449 from $349, and the iPad Mini with an A17 chip to $599 from $499.
Apple’s HomePod speaker is priced at $349, up from $299, the HomePod mini at $129, up from $99, and the Apple TV box now costs $129, up from $99. The Vision Pro headset is listed at $3,699, a $200 increase.
"The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created a surge in demand for memory and storage, leading to unprecedented component price increases," the company told CNBC.
"We know this is not welcome news, and we are working to find solutions," Apple added.
CEO Tim Cook previously told the Wall Street Journal that price hikes were "unavoidable" because of rising memory and storage costs tied to the AI boom. He noted that iPhone pricing pressure stems from constraints on the main processing chip rather than memory, and that supply-demand balance for Mac Studio and Mac Mini could take several months.
Analyst firm Counterpoint reported that DRAM prices for smartphones have risen about 50% and NAND flash storage prices have jumped over 90% quarter-over-quarter in Q1 2026. Research director Tarun Pathak said the memory price surge has made it impossible for manufacturers to absorb costs without eroding profit margins, and he expects other PC and tablet makers to follow Apple’s pricing adjustments.