Apple price – Apple CEO Tim Cook says device price increases are “unavoidable” as a memory chip shortage linked to AI server demand squeezes RAM and storage supplies. The move puts iPhone buyers on notice—research suggests Apple may need to raise Pro iPhone prices by $270 t
When Tim Cook stepped into the conversation this week, it wasn’t about new features or launches. It was about the bill arriving at the door.
Apple’s outgoing CEO told The Wall Street Journal that the company will raise prices on its devices. calling those increases “unavoidable.” Cook said Apple is trying to “mitigate the huge increases” being passed to the company. and that it has been trying to “shield our customers. ” but the situation has become “unsustainable.”.
The pressure point is a memory chip shortage crisis that has been unfolding for well over a year, but has accelerated since the beginning of 2026.
At the center of the scramble is demand for RAM and storage chips used by AI servers. AI companies are pushing to secure as many of these components as possible to pack even more AI servers into data centers being built globally. with tech hyperscalers such as Nvidia. Amazon. Google. Meta Platforms. and OpenAI leading the way.
As that demand climbs, prices for memory and storage have “skyrocketed.” Memory makers have also shifted manufacturing capabilities toward the more expensive chips required by AI servers rather than the less costly ones used in consumer devices.
That shift leaves consumer-device makers—Apple included—paying more to source the chips they need, at the same time that supply tightens.
Until now, Apple had absorbed more of the cost pressure itself. Cook’s comments indicate that approach can’t last. The company has either absorbed the increased costs or cut entry-level devices from its lineup, which meant customers hadn’t carried the full weight of memory price hikes.
But Cook now says the path of absorbing everything has reached its limit.
The iPhone price question is now sharper than ever. Cook didn’t specify which Apple devices will see price increases or by how much, but memory and storage are critical components in every Apple device the company sells. That makes it likely that price increases could reach across multiple products.
For buyers eyeing the fall lineup, the suspense lands hardest on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Both are expected to go on sale in September as successors to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. (The iPhone 18, successor to the iPhone 17, is not expected to be unveiled until Spring 2027.).
Currently, the iPhone 17 Pro costs $1,099 (256GB), $1,299 (512GB), and $1,499 (1TB). The iPhone 17 Pro Max costs $1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB), $1,599 (1TB), and $1,999 (2TB).
TechInsights. a research firm. said Apple would need to raise prices on its Pro iPhone models by $270 to maintain its current margins despite memory price hikes. If Apple followed that calculation. the iPhone 18 Pro would start at $1. 369 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max would start at $1. 469—both for a model with 256GB of storage.
Still, whether Apple passes through that kind of increase remains uncertain. The Journal’s framing points to a reason: it doesn’t seem likely Apple would pass on the full increase in memory and storage costs. The company may look for cost efficiencies elsewhere. allowing it to absorb more of the increases rather than having consumers bear the full burden.
But Cook’s confirmation that Apple will raise its prices gives a floor to what customers can expect. At least a $100 price hike for the new iPhone 18 Pro models seems almost certain, with even a $200 increase plausible.
The market’s reaction suggests investors are bracing for the same underlying reality. In premarket trading after Cook’s comments yesterday, the stock prices of four major memory and storage manufacturers were rising.
Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU) was up 4.4%. Sandisk Corporation (Nasdaq: SNDK) was up 3.7%. Western Digital Corporation (Nasdaq: WDC) was up 5.6%. Seagate Technology Holdings plc (Nasdaq: STX) was up 4%.
Apple Inc (Nasdaq: AAPL), as of this writing, was relatively flat—up around 0.3% in premarket trading. Still, the broader contrast is hard to miss: since the year began, AAPL shares have risen nearly 9%, while memory and storage companies’ stock prices have surged.
Year to date, MU stock is up more than 265%, SNDK stock is up more than 725%, WDC stock is up more than 313%, and STX stock is up more than 287%.
The sequence is plain: AI-driven demand for RAM and storage pushes up prices and reshapes supply; that tightens costs for consumer device makers; and Cook’s message now lands on customers—price increases are coming, even if the exact size of the hit hasn’t been spelled out.
Apple Tim Cook iPhone 18 Pro iPhone 18 Pro Max memory chip shortage RAM storage chips AI servers Micron Sandisk Western Digital Seagate TechInsights stock market
Guess I’m just supposed to pay $270 more now. Cool cool.
I didn’t realize phone prices were tied to AI servers?? Like my iPhone is not running ChatGPT in my pocket lol. This sounds like a convenient excuse anyway.
So memory chips are “unavoidable” but they can’t find a way to keep prices the same. Sounds like Apple just wants higher margins. Also $270?? I thought they already increased prices last year.
Isn’t it funny how they say they’ll “shield customers” and then immediately raise everything. Maybe they should stop making so many Pro models and just sell one. But then again, if AI companies are buying all the chips, aren’t we all kinda screwed? Idk I’m too tired to read the rest.