Apple raises MacBook and iPad prices amid rising memory costs; analysts expect industry-wide impact

The price hikes come after Apple indicated that it could no longer fully absorb rising component costs. Representational pic

Apple's decision to raise prices for select MacBook and iPad models marks a broader shift in the consumer electronics industry, with surging memory costs and AI-driven demand for semiconductors forcing manufacturers to reconsider pricing strategies, analysts said on Thursday.

The price hikes come after Apple indicated that it could no longer fully absorb rising component costs, particularly for memory and storage chips that have witnessed sharp increases amid strong demand from artificial intelligence data centres and cloud computing providers, news agency IANS reported.

According to Prabhu Ram, Vice-President at CyberMedia Research (CMR), the memory market is undergoing a structural transformation that extends beyond the traditional semiconductor cycle.

"The memory cost environment is undergoing a fundamental shift. What we are seeing is no longer just the familiar ebb and flow of the semiconductor cycle, but the emergence of a new demand paradigm driven by AI infrastructure investments," Ram said.

He noted that memory suppliers are increasingly aligning production capacities to cater to AI data centres, resulting in a more constrained and cost-intensive environment for consumer electronics manufacturers.

"Apple has traditionally been among the best-positioned companies to absorb supply chain shocks and manage component cost volatility. The fact that it is now passing some of these costs on to consumers is a significant signal for the broader industry," he added.

Other PC and tablet makers likely to raise prices amid rising memory costs, say analysts

Analysts at Counterpoint Research said memory prices have increased more than fourfold since the fourth quarter of 2025, significantly eroding profit margins across the consumer electronics industry.

"Apple has done well to hold prices steady until now, though it hinted at increases last week," said Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint Research.

According to the research firm, the latest price revisions for the MacBook Neo, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iPad Air and iPad Pro Wi-Fi models indicate a larger shift in industry pricing dynamics rather than isolated product-level adjustments.

Counterpoint expects other PC and tablet manufacturers to adopt similar measures, including selective price increases, reduced promotional discounts and a stronger focus on premium product categories.

The firm said that higher bill-of-material costs, driven largely by memory components, are likely to remain a long-term challenge for device makers as AI-related demand continues to dominate semiconductor investments.

(With IANS inputs)