It seems that the era of stable prices for Apple devices has officially come to an end. The company’s CEO, Tim Cook, has confirmed the insiders’ worst fears: Apple is preparing for a major price rise on its key products. The reason is a global shortage and a dramatic rise in the price of memory chips (DRAM and NAND), caused by the AI boom. «Unfortunately, price rises are inevitable. We have done everything we can to cushion the blow and protect our customers, but the situation has now become simply untenable,», — he said Tim Cook in an interview for Wall Street Journal.
What happened? Artificial intelligence is to blame
The global industry has been hit by a crisis that analysts have already dubbed «RAMageddon». Tech giants (such as Tesla, Microsoft and Google) are buying up massive quantities of RAM chips for their AI servers and data centres.
Suppliers (Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron) simply cannot keep up with demand and are redirecting capacity to the server market, driving up prices for smartphone and laptop manufacturers. To put this into perspective: The cost of some components for Apple has risen almost fourfold compared with last year. Cook, who has been working in the industry for over 40 years, admitted that he had never seen anything like it.
How much will the new iPhone 18 cost?
As is customary, Tim Cook did not give any specific figures until autumn presentation September 2026, although leading analytical agencies (in particular TechInsights and Omdia) have already calculated the financial losses for shoppers:
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iPhone 18 / 18 Pro: The range is expected to see a basic price increase of, on average, $100–$150. However, in order to maintain the net margin, Apple could raise the price of the top-of-the-range Pro versions by as much as $270.
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Entry-level models under fire: To encourage users to opt for more expensive models, Apple may artificially inflate the prices of the versions with the lowest storage capacity.
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The first «signs» are already here: The company has already quietly discontinued the cheapest Mac mini model, raising the starting price of the computer from $599 to $799. At the start of the year, the price of some MacBook Pro configurations also jumped by almost $400.
What's next?
The irony of the situation is that Apple itself has become a victim of the circumstances. In order to launch new local features of its artificial intelligence (Apple Intelligence) and the updated Siri, the company has to add more RAM in the new iPhones. More memory at a higher purchase price = record-breaking prices for end consumers.
Experts are warning: Apple’s move will set a precedent for the entire market. Following Cook’s lead, Samsung, Xiaomi, Dell and other players will start raising their prices. If you were planning to upgrade your gadget, now might be the best time to do so, before the old stock in warehouses runs out.
