Apple hikes Mac and iPad prices amid memory chip shortage

Apple has implemented significant price increases across its Mac and iPad product lines, citing an unprecedented shortage and soaring cost of memory chips driven by artificial intelligence data center demand. The changes, which took effect on Thursday, June 25, 2026, triggered a sharp drop in the company's stock price and mark its first broad-based hardware price hike in years.

The increases affect a wide range of devices including MacBooks, iMacs, Mac Studios, iPads, and accessories like the HomePod, Apple TV, and Vision Pro. In the United States, increases range from $100 to $1,300. The entry-level MacBook Neo now starts at $699, up from $599. The base MacBook Air increased by $200 to $1,299, and the 14-inch MacBook Pro rose $300 to $1,999. The Mac Studio saw the largest jump, increasing by $1,300. iPad prices also climbed, with the iPad Air rising $150 to $749 and the iPad Pro increasing $200 to $1,199. Apple's iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods were excluded from this initial round of increases.

In a statement, Apple attributed the move directly to a global memory chip shortage, stating the rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for...