Apple warns more price hikes are coming — iPhone and Watch are next
Apple raised prices on a range of its products on June 25, with increases running from $30 to $1,300 depending on the device. MacBooks, iPads, HomePod, Apple TV, and Vision Pro — now $3,699, up $200 — all got more expensive. iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods were spared this round, but Apple told Bloomberg that more increases are coming.
The shortage behind the hike
The cause is a global memory chip shortage, and it isn't a temporary blip. AI data centers run by hyperscalers — Microsoft, Google, Meta, Amazon — are consuming enormous amounts of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), pulling wafer production capacity away from the consumer electronics supply chain. Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron are all prioritizing AI server chips over the DRAM and NAND flash that goes into phones, laptops, and tablets.
Apple framed the situation in stark terms in its statement to the press:
> "The consumer electronics industry is facing an unprecedented challenge. The rapid expansion of AI data centers has led to extraordinary demand growth for memory and storage. We have never seen such a sharp and rapid increase in component costs. Until now, we have been shielding our customers from these price increases, but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products."
Tim Cook had previously called it a "hundred-year flood" — the kind of supply disruption that can't simply be absorbed indefinitely.
What comes next
MacRumors confirmed that iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods prices are unchanged "for now" — the phrasing Apple itself used. Analyst estimates from JP Morgan put a likely iPhone 18 Pro increase in the $50–$100 range at its expected September launch, well below earlier $270 predictions. Either way, a rise looks probable.
The problem won't resolve quickly. Micron projects the shortage will persist beyond 2027, and IDC warns that DRAM and NAND supply growth in 2026 will fall below 20% year-on-year while AI demand runs at 30–40%. Apple is also not alone here — Dell, Lenovo, HP, Microsoft, and Samsung have all raised prices or announced increases in the 15–20% range.
If you're in the market for a Mac or iPad, older-generation models may still be available at pre-hike prices through retailers while stock lasts. The devices Apple hasn't touched yet — iPhone, Watch, AirPods — could look more attractive before autumn arrives.