Overview
- Apple CEO Tim Cook told the Wall Street Journal that price increases for iPhones, Macs and other devices are unavoidable because memory-chip costs have become too large to fully absorb.
- The warning published on June 18 follows industry reporting that contract prices for DRAM and NAND have spiked sharply as data centers built for AI buy high-performance memory at scale.
- An independent TechInsights model shared with the Wall Street Journal estimates Apple would need roughly $270 extra on a next-generation iPhone Pro to preserve its historical gross margin, though Apple gave no product-specific figures or timing.
- Several other device makers including HP, Dell, Nintendo, Sony and Valve have already raised or planned price increases, showing the problem is industry wide rather than limited to Apple.
- Apple says it is reviewing all supply options, including possible sourcing from Chinese memory producers, while chipmakers expand capacity slowly and may prioritize memory for AI servers over consumer parts.