Will Apple Raise Product Prices Due to Memory Chip Crisis?

Unexpected and somewhat worrying news has emerged in the tech world. Apple, one of the world's largest and most prestigious corporations, is expected to raise the retail prices of its most popular devices — iPhone smartphones, iPad tablets, and Mac computers. This is caused by a severe shortage of semiconductors and memory chips in the global market.

Cupertino's CEO Tim Cook addressed this complex situation in an exclusive interview with the renowned publication The Wall Street Journal. He noted that with the continuous increase in the cost of raw materials and components, it is no longer possible to keep prices at previous levels.

You can find detailed information about the changes in Apple's pricing policy, the root causes of the crisis, and the list of devices that have already become more expensive in the following analytical table:

Tim Cook: «We did everything we could to protect customers»

During the interview, the company head revealed that Apple had long absorbed the problems in the supply chain and high costs to avoid passing them on to customers:

«We have used all our resources to soften the significant price pressure from our partners and suppliers and to protect our customers as much as possible from these unexpected changes. However, in the current market conjuncture, the situation has become extremely unstable and has reached a level that is very difficult to control», said the company head.

At the same time, Tim Cook did not specify exactly when the new increased prices would take effect or which specific device lines would be most seriously affected.

What is behind the crisis and how have Mac prices changed?

According to The Wall Street Journal analysts, this electronics crisis was caused by the rapid development of modern Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. Demand for memory chips from IT companies creating neural networks and large systems has grown geometrically. Chip manufacturing plants physically cannot keep up with the flow of orders. As a result, not only RAM and internal storage, but also laptops, gaming consoles, and other household appliances based on them are becoming more expensive.

In fact, Apple has already begun making changes to its product line. As early as March of this year, sales of Mac Studio computers with high-capacity 512 GB RAM were stopped. Additionally, the affordable 599-dollar Mac Mini model was abandoned, and the starting price for its simplest version was reset to 799 dollars.

Final conclusion from Zamin technology reviewers:

Naturally, this news is somewhat disappointing for brand fans, as those planning to buy an iPhone or Mac will now have to spend more. However, the global chip shortage has become so serious that even a corporation as wealthy and powerful as Apple is forced to raise prices. If you intend to buy a new device soon, it is advisable to act before prices rise further. We will continue to monitor changes in the tech world.

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