Apple Raises Prices Across Macs, iPads, and More Amid Memory Shortage

Apple has implemented significant price increases across its Macs, iPads, home devices, and Vision Pro in response to an unprecedented shortage of memory chips and storage. The global price increases took effect on Thursday, leaving iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods pricing unchanged.



An Apple spokesperson confirmed to Bloomberg that the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory chips. The company said it has never seen component prices rise this quickly and noted it had shielded customers from the impact up until this point. The spokesperson acknowledged the increases are unwelcome and said Apple is working tirelessly to find solutions.


The increases affect the entire Mac lineup. The base MacBook Neo jumps from $599 to $699, while the higher-end configuration with more storage and Touch ID moves to $799. The 13-inch MacBook Air now starts at $1,299, and the 15-inch model rises to $1,499. On the professional side, the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro climbs $300 to reach $1,999. The 16-inch MacBook Pro now starts at $2,999, with a fully loaded model topping out at $9,999. Desktop Macs are also seeing similar increases. The iMac now starts at $1,499, and the Mac Studio jumps to $2,499. Meanwhile, the M4 Pro Mac mini has increased to $1,599, following Apple's recent move to quietly eliminate the $599 base configuration.

The iPad lineup is also getting broad price increases. The 11-inch iPad Pro now starts at $1,199, and the 13-inch model climbs to $1,499. The mid-tier 11-inch iPad Air moves to $749, with the larger 13-inch version hitting $949. Apple's most affordable tablet, the base iPad, increases from $349 to $449, and the iPad mini goes up a hundred dollars to $599.

Home devices and the Vision Pro were not exempt from the changes. The standard HomePod increases to $349, the HomePod mini jumps to $129, and the Apple TV set-top box sees a steep rise from $129 to $199. The Vision Pro headset now carries a $3,699 starting price, with the 1TB configuration pushing to $4,199.

These price hikes follow months of mounting component pressure. CEO Tim Cook warned investors in April that pricing adjustments were unavoidable due to the AI memory crunch. He also cautioned that resulting supply constraints for machines like the Mac Studio could persist for several months, hindering the company's ability to roll out updated models. Managing this volatile supply chain will soon fall to John Ternus, who takes over as CEO on September 1.


Apple did not raise iPhone prices on Thursday. According to Cook, the smartphone lineup has been affected more by processor supply constraints than the memory shortages impacting Macs. The company is currently preparing its fall smartphone lineup, which is expected to feature a new foldable model exceeding $2,000.

Please download the iClarified app or follow iClarified on X, Facebook, YouTube, and RSS for more Apple pricing updates.