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Yes, you can blame AI. The price increases result from surging memory chip costs and short supply.
Looking for a new MacBook or iPad? You'll now have to shell out more money. On Thursday, Apple raised the prices on its entire MacBook and iPad lineup. Depending on the device you want, you'll pay anywhere from 15% to 25% more than you would have yesterday.
Also: Why your RAM options cost 4X more now than last year - even legacy tech prices aren't immune
You can see for yourself what you'll now pay by visiting the online Apple Store, which was down earlier this morning as Apple updated it with the new prices. But here are a few examples:
You get the picture. So why has Apple raised prices so dramatically? Blame it on the memory chip market.
AI companies have been scooping up much of the available stock of DRAM (dynamic random access memory) and NAND flash storage for their hungry systems and data centers. That's led to a severe chip shortage for everyone else, triggering price increases on the remaining supplies.
Also, the three major memory manufacturers -- Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology -- have shifted their limited resources and budgets toward higher-margin, enterprise components, leaving mere scraps for the consumer market.