Apple announced Thursday that it is raising prices on its Mac computers and iPad tablets, citing a shortage of memory chips driven by surging demand from the artificial intelligence industry.
The California-based tech giant described the situation as an “unprecedented challenge” for the consumer electronics sector, saying the rapid growth of AI data centers has caused an extraordinary spike in demand for memory and storage components.
“The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly,” the company said in a written statement.
Under the new pricing, the entry-level MacBook Neo will carry a price tag of $699, up $100 from its previous $599. The 512 gigabyte MacBook Air jumps from $1,099 to $1,299, and the one terabyte MacBook Pro climbs from $1,699 to $1,999.
iPad prices are also on the rise. The 128 gigabyte iPad Air now costs $749, compared to $599 previously. The 256 gigabyte iPad Pro Wi-Fi model has gone from $999 to $1,199.
Apple acknowledged in its statement that it had been absorbing component cost increases to protect customers up until now. “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. We know this is not welcome news, and we are working tirelessly to find solutions,” the company said.
Industry analysts are already looking ahead to potential iPhone price increases later this year. IDC analyst Nabila Popal said the Mac and iPad hikes came in larger than she had anticipated, raising concerns that upcoming iPhone price increases could also exceed expectations — possibly reaching $200 more for the iPhone Pro and Pro Max models.
“I think the days of $50 price increases are over,” Popal said.
Apple’s stock took a hit following the announcement, falling $13.29, or 4.5%, to close at $279.88 Thursday afternoon.
