Consumers buying new Apple devices could soon be paying significantly more after the tech giant raised prices on several MacBook and iPad models, blaming soaring demand for AI-powered computing. The increase reflects mounting pressure on global supply chains as manufacturers compete for increasingly expensive memory chips, with customers now bearing the cost of the industry's AI-driven transformation.
Apple became the first major player to blink, officially adjusting its retail hardware prices overnight.
On Thursday, the Cupertino-based tech giant increased the prices of severaliPadand MacBook models after admitting that the artificial intelligence sector's massive data centre expansion has made memory and storage components too expensive for the company to continue absorbing the financial hit on behalf of consumers.
While Apple's flagship product, the iPhone, remains untouched by the changes, the entry-levelNeo laptopwill see its base price climb from $599 (£454.20) to $699 (£530.03). The $100 (£75.83) increase comes just months after the budget-friendly device made its commercial debut.
The price rise demonstrates that even the world's most valuable technology company, backed by sector-leading supplier networks, remains vulnerable to escalating component costs that have clouded the outlook for the broader smartphone and computer markets.
Over recent months, component manufacturers such asMicronhave shifted their focus towards fulfilling orders for artificial intelligence specialists, including Nvidia. While this strategy has generated record financial returns for memory suppliers, it has severely restricted the hardware available to traditional device manufacturers, leaving them with little choice but to pass those higher costs on to consumers.
'We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly,' Apple said in a statement. 'We have shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products, including today's increases for iPad and Mac.'
Consumers will now pay $200 (£151.65) more for a 512GB MacBook Air, while a 1TB MacBook Pro will cost $300 (£227.48) more. The adjustments also affect Apple's broader ecosystem, driving up retail prices for both HomePod smart speaker models as well as the Apple TV streaming device.
Following the announcement, Apple sharesfellnearly 5%, while rival Dell dropped by more than 8%.
JUST IN: Apple$AAPLfalls 5% after announcing price hikes, erasing $215 billion from its market cap today.pic.twitter.com/G2iKnse5nK
Source: International Business Times UK
