Apple, Microsoft raise prices as AI drives chip shortage - MSN

Global tech giants are facing unprecedented chip cost pressures, with companies like Apple and Microsoft raising product prices. This phenomenon stems from the rapid expansion of AI data centers, caus... Read original →

The AI compute arms race is triggering structural realignment across the semiconductor value chain. With NVIDIA and cloud hyperscalers monopolizing TSMC’s (Taiwan, China) 3nm EUV capacity, Apple’s leapfrog to the M7—skipping M6 Pro/Max—reveals acute co-optimization gaps between logic and DRAM, underscoring TSMC’s irreplaceable role in advanced packaging. U.S. HBM export controls and delayed Korean memory expansions fueled a 98% DRAM price surge in Q1 2026, forcing Microsoft and Apple to pass costs downstream—a symptom of systemic supply chain fragility. Samsung may accelerate HBM4 to capture AI server share, while Qualcomm and MediaTek could defer consumer SoC roadmaps. Over the next 18 months, shortages will cascade into power management and high-speed I/O chips, compelling OEMs to adopt chiplet integration and forward inventory strategies. Hardware inflation is now structurally embedded.