Apple has announced price increases for several of its products, including MacBooks, iPads and Apple TV devices, blaming rising memory and storage costs fueled by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI).
The company said the surge in demand for memory chips used in AI data centres has significantly increased production costs, forcing it to adjust prices for some of its devices.
According to Apple, the latest price changes affect several products sold on its U.S. website.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro now starts at $2,000, up from $1,700, while the iPad Air has increased from $600 to $750. The Apple TV streaming device also rose from $130 to $200.
However, Apple confirmed that iPhone prices remain unchanged for now.
“The rapid expansion of AI data centres has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We have never seen component prices increase this much, this quickly,” an Apple spokesperson said.
The announcement follows earlier comments by outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook, who recently warned that price increases had become unavoidable due to soaring component costs.
Cook described the sharp rise in memory chip prices as a once-in-a-generation challenge, noting that Apple had absorbed the additional costs for as long as possible before passing them on to customers.
The increase comes as AI companies continue expanding their data centres, driving global demand for memory chips and storage components used in electronic devices.
Meanwhile, John Ternus is expected to take over as Apple’s new CEO on September 1, shortly before the company unveils its next generation of iPhones.
Source: AFP
