Rabat — Apple plans to raise prices across some of its products as soaring memory chip costs continue to put pressure on the technology giant, Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
Cook said the company has spent months trying to absorb rising costs but can no longer shield customers from the increases.
“Unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable,” he told the newspaper, describing the current situation in the memory market as “unsustainable.”
The Apple chief did not say when the higher prices would take effect, how large the increases could be, or which products would be affected. It remains unclear whether the expected iPhone 18 lineup, including the company’s first foldable iPhone, will see higher price tags when it is launched in September.
The pressure comes as demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure continues to surge. Data center operators are competing for supplies of memory chips used in AI servers, particularly high-bandwidth memory, pushing prices sharply higher and reducing availability for consumer electronics manufacturers.
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Cook said Apple is facing rising costs for both memory and storage components, with the DRAM market being a particular concern. More chip production is being directed toward AI-related products, leaving less supply available for smartphones, computers, and other consumer devices.
“There’s less supply at a time when consumers want devices and the memory guys are passing along huge price increases,” he explained.
Industry groups representing automakers, retailers, and electronics companies warned earlier this month that the growing demand for memory chips could disrupt supply chains and lead to higher prices for a wide range of consumer goods in the United States.
The cost of RAM, one of the most common computer components, has more than doubled since October 2025. Analysts say the AI boom is a major factor, while disruptions to global helium supplies linked to the conflict in Iran have also increased semiconductor production costs.
Research firm Omdia expects average global smartphone prices to climb about 20% in 2026, reaching a record high. Analyst Chiew Le Xuan told the BBC that Apple’s next-generation phones could cost as much as $150 more than the iPhone 17 series as the company upgrades hardware to support new AI features.
Other technology companies are also warning of rising costs. Chipmaker TSMC recently said it would not rule out price increases, while Samsung has cautioned that memory shortages could make electronic devices more expensive. Sony and Nintendo have already announced price hikes for gaming hardware in recent months.
Cook also said Apple is prepared to use its cash reserves to help increase memory supply, though he ruled out building the company’s own memory and storage manufacturing facilities.
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