Noida, June 26 (APAC Media): Apple on Thursday raised prices for several MacBook and iPad models, its first formal move to pass higher memory and storage costs on to consumers after Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said such increases had become unavoidable, CNBC reported.
Among the products affected, the base-model MacBook Air now starts at $1,299 in the United States, up from $1,099, while the entry-level MacBook Pro has increased to $1,999 from $1,699.
The base price of the iPad Air has risen to $749 from $599, while the iPad Pro now starts at $1,199, compared with its previous price of $999. Apple’s entry-level MacBook Neo now costs $699, up from $599.
The steepest increase was for the Mac Studio M3 Ultra desktop computer, whose starting price climbed to $5,299 from $3,999.
“The consumer electronics industry is confronting an unprecedented challenge as the rapid growth of AI data centres drives a sharp surge in demand for memory and storage,” Apple said in a statement.
“We have reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products,” the company said, adding that the move could signal further price increases if component costs remain elevated.
Apple Price Increases
| Product | Variant | Old Price (USD) | New Price (USD) | Increase (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Neo | Entry | $599 | $699 | +$100 |
| MacBook Air | 512GB | $1,099 | $1,299 | +$200 |
| MacBook Pro | 1TB | $1,699 | $1,999 | +$300 |
| iPad Air | 128GB | $599 | $749 | +$150 |
| iPad Pro | WiFi 256GB | $999 | $1,199 | +$200 |
“We recognize this is unwelcome news and are actively working to find solutions,” Apple added.
Gold, Silver Prices Today, June 25: Check Latest 24K, 22K Gold, Silver Rates in Delhi, Kolkata-City-Wise Price Chart
Cook told The Wall Street Journal last week that Apple could no longer fully shield customers from surging component costs linked to the artificial intelligence boom.
“This is a once-in-a-century flood,” Cook told the newspaper. “In over 40 years, I’ve never seen anything like it in any area.”
Memory and storage prices have quadrupled over the past three quarters as suppliers shifted more production toward high-bandwidth memory used in AI servers, according to Counterpoint Research.
The surge has boosted memory-chip makers such as Micron, which recently reported a fourfold increase in revenue and said its gross margin expanded to 84.9% from 39% a year earlier, outpacing margins reported by Nvidia and Meta.
Apple has historically managed rising component costs by phasing out lower-priced configurations, raising the base storage or memory offered in entry-level devices, or encouraging customers to purchase higher-end Pro models and versions with greater storage capacity.
–ENDS–
Disclaimer: Views expressed are those of experts and do not reflect APAC Media. This is for informational purposes only, not financial advice. We are not responsible for investment decisions. Please consult a qualified financial advisor before investing.
Also Read:
