Prices for DRAM memory, the type used in virtually all modern gadgets, rose as much as 98% in the first quarter of 2026 and are expected to climb another 58 to 63% in the current quarter, according to industry tracker TrendForce.Some analysts have started calling it "RAMageddon," which honestly feels about right. Apple CEO Tim Cook had already told the Wall Street Journal earlier this month that "price increases are unavoidable," saying the situation had become "unsustainable." And when a CEO uses that word publicly, you know the increases coming aren't going to be small ones. Apple shares fell 6.1% on Thursday, their worst single day in more than a year.
IDC analyst Nabila Popal said the hikes came in higher than she expected, and warned that iPhone price increases, when they come, could be as much as $200 for the Pro and Pro Max models. "I think the days of $50 price increases are over," she said. Memory chipmakers like Micron have been prioritizing long-term orders from AI companies like Nvidia, which has squeezed supply for consumer electronics makers across the board. The MacBook Neo, which Apple launched at $599 to take on affordable Windows and Chromebook laptops, now costs the same as the Dell XPS 13 that Dell released specifically to compete with it.
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