Apple has raised prices on several iPad and MacBook models, citing steep increases in memory and storage chip costs tied to the artificial intelligence boom. The company said it could no longer fully absorb the higher component prices that have spread through the consumer electronics supply chain.

The latest changes do not affect the iPhone lineup, but they do mark a notable shift for a company that has largely avoided passing higher hardware costs on to buyers. Among the changes, Apple increased the starting price of its lowest-cost laptop from $599 to $699, only months after its launch. A MacBook Air configuration with 512 gigabytes of storage went up by $200, while a MacBook Pro model with 1 terabyte of storage became $300 more expensive.

Apple also increased prices on both versions of its HomePod smart speaker and its Apple TV set-top box. The company said the decision reflected a sharp jump in memory and storage prices that it had previously been able to manage internally.

In a statement, Apple said it had protected customers from component inflation for as long as possible, but that the pace of recent increases forced it to begin adjusting prices on some products. The company did not say when, or if, it would make further changes.

The price increases come at a time when AI companies are consuming more of the memory supply used across the tech industry. Suppliers such as Micron have been directing more of their output toward AI chipmakers including Nvidia, leaving less available for makers of phones, laptops and other consumer devices. That shift has helped memory producers post stronger profits, while pushing up costs for hardware companies.

Industry trackers have described the surge in memory pricing as unusually severe. TrendForce said prices for dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, rose sharply in the first quarter of 2026 and are expected to climb further in the current quarter. The trend has been fueled by a wave of data center construction as companies rush to build infrastructure for AI workloads.

Analysts say Apple’s broad supplier relationships may have helped it delay bigger increases than some competitors have faced, but they do not expect the company to remain insulated for long. Some observers now believe iPhone prices could rise later, especially as Apple prepares for its next major product launch cycle.

Nabila Popal, senior research director at IDC, said the iPhone would not be spared from the broader cost pressure. She said Apple’s timing, with price changes coming before the fall iPhone launch window, may help the company shift attention toward new features and product value rather than pricing.

The market reaction was swift. Apple shares fell nearly 5% after the announcement, while Dell dropped more than 8%. The declines reflected concern that rising component costs could squeeze margins across the device industry and further weaken demand.

Those worries are already feeding into demand forecasts. IDC expects the smartphone market to post its steepest annual decline on record this year, while the PC market is also projected to shrink sharply. With memory prices still rising and AI demand showing little sign of easing, analysts say consumer electronics makers may face more difficult pricing decisions ahead.