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Apple raises Mac and iPad prices, spares iPhone for now

26 d ago

Amid a global memory shortage driven by AI infrastructure expansion, Apple has raised prices across its Mac, iPad, and smart home lineups, Bloomberg reports. The MacBook Neo now costs $699 (up from $599), the base MacBook Air rises from $1,099 to $1,299, and the MacBook Pro from $1,699 to $1,999. The Mac Studio jumps from $1,999 to $2,499. iPad prices also increased: Air now $749 (from $599), Pro at $1,199 (from $999), base iPad with A16 at $449 (from $349), and iPad Mini with A17 at $599 (from $499). Smart home devices are costlier: HomePod up to $349 (from $299), HomePod Mini to $129 (from $99), and Apple TV box to $129 (from $99). The Vision Pro headset is now $3,699 (from $3,499). iPhone prices remain unchanged for now but may rise later this year. Apple attributed the hikes to “unprecedented” memory and storage component price surges caused by booming AI data center demand, stating it has “never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly.” CEO Tim Cook had previously warned price increases were “unavoidable.” The company discontinued the base 256GB Mac Mini in May, making the $799 512GB model the entry point; the M4 Pro configuration rose from $1,399 to $1,599. Analyst firm Counterpoint noted smartphone DRAM prices jumped 50% and NAND Flash prices over 90% quarter-over-quarter in Q1 2026. Research director Tarun Pathak said absorbing such hikes is impossible without major losses, adding that other PC and tablet OEMs are expected to follow Apple’s lead. Meanwhile, memory supplier Micron reported a 4x year-over-year revenue increase. Apple stated it is “working tirelessly” to find solutions.