Overview
- Apple raised prices across MacBook and iPad lines on June 25, with some models up to $300, and said the increases were unavoidable because component costs rose sharply.
- Micron pushed back publicly, saying deep price cuts in 2023 gutted supplier margins and caused underinvestment in new memory capacity that left the industry unable to meet the sudden AI-driven surge in demand.
- Micron reported an outsized fiscal Q3 with revenue up 345.7% and gross margin of 84.6%, while Apple’s stock fell more than 6% the same day as investors weighed margin pressure and higher retail prices.
- Industry data show DRAM and NAND contract prices roughly four times higher than three quarters ago as suppliers prioritize high‑bandwidth server contracts for AI customers, reducing spot supply for consumer devices.
- Analysts warn the supply squeeze could persist into 2027 because new fabs and HBM capacity take years to build, a dynamic that could raise device costs for consumers and reshape suppliers’ long‑term contract strategies.