Apple hikes MacBook, iPad prices by 20-42% amid memory chip shortage - YourStory.com

Apple has raised the prices of its MacBook and iPad models globally by 20% to 42% due to a shortage of memory chips, a consequence of the surge in demand from AI data centers. The semiconductor indust... Read original →

The insatiable demand from AI data centers for high-bandwidth DRAM and NAND is triggering a structural reallocation of memory capacity away from consumer devices toward server markets. Despite Apple’s historically robust supply chain controls, the integration of Apple Intelligence into M5 chips—requiring LPDDR5X and UFS 4.0—leaves it exposed to current shortages. U.S. export controls on advanced semiconductor equipment indirectly strain mature-node capacity, amplifying global supply fragility. Competitors like Samsung and MediaTek may accelerate premium tablet and ultrabook launches to capture price-sensitive users, while Microsoft’s Surface lineup powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite stands to gain most. Over the next 18 months, ‘performance inflation’ will likely dominate: consumers get less hardware for the same price, accelerating a shift toward subscription-based hardware bundled with AI services.