Apple to raise prices as AI boom drives chip costs higher
Apple said it will raise prices on some products as AI-driven demand for memory chips pushes costs to record highs. The company plans staged increases on iPhones and other devices to protect margins. Goldman Sachs trimmed its global smartphone market estimates citing high memory costs.
Apple confirmed to the BBC it will adjust prices on some products because of a memory chip squeeze triggered by AI data centre construction. The company did not say which models would be affected but indicated the increases would be phased in as existing inventory clears.
Memory makers Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron have redirected a large share of capacity to AI servers, leaving consumer electronics manufacturers competing for the rest at higher prices. Goldman Sachs trimmed its forecast for global smartphone shipments in 2026, telling clients that memory prices have risen more than 70 percent in six months.
Analysts said Apple's decision to pass the increase to consumers, rather than absorb it through suppliers, signals the seriousness of margin pressure. CNBC framed the wider story as a "memory crisis [that] hits such extremes that even Apple can't be safe". A change to Apple's historically stable iPhone starting prices could reshape forecasts for the autumn product launch.
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