Apple Raises iPad and MacBook Prices Amid AI-Fuelled Memory Crunch
Apple has raised the prices of several iPad and MacBook models, citing surging memory and storage chip costs driven by the AI industry’s rapid data centre expansion.
The price increases take effect immediately and span multiple product lines. The MacBook Air with 512GB of storage has risen to $1,299 from $1,099, while the MacBook Pro with 1TB of storage now starts at $1,999, up from $1,699.
The iPad Air with 128GB of storage has increased from $599 to $749. The MacBook Neo, Apple’s most affordable laptop designed to compete with budget Windows and Chromebook devices, has risen from $599 to $699 just months after its launch.
Apple’s iPhone lineup is not affected by the increases.
The price hikes reflect a broader memory supply crunch, as manufacturers such as Micron have increasingly prioritised orders from AI chipmakers like Nvidia.
That shift has generated record profits for memory makers but left limited supply for consumer electronics manufacturers, pushing up component costs across the industry.
The increases underscore that even Apple widely regarded as having among the strongest supply chain relationships in the industry is not insulated from the pressure.





