Apple raises MacBook prices in UAE and US amid cost surge

Apple has implemented significant price increases for its MacBook lineup in the United Arab Emirates and the United States, citing soaring memory and storage costs driven by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure. The hikes, verified on the company's websites on June 26, come as Amazon's Prime Day sale offers consumers a temporary window to purchase certain models at their previous, lower prices.

In the UAE, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip now starts at Dh8,499, a Dh1,300 increase from approximately Dh7,199 in March. The 13-inch M5 MacBook Air has risen from Dh4,599 to Dh5,499, while the 15-inch model increased from Dh5,499 to Dh6,299. The more affordable MacBook Neo also saw increases, with the 256GB model now starting at Dh2,999, up Dh400 from March. These changes add financial pressure on students and families ahead of the new academic year.

A company spokesperson attributed the global price adjustments to an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage components from AI data centers, calling the component price increase unprecedented in its speed and scale. The company stated it had absorbed these costs for as long as possible but...