Overview
- Early August 2026 reporting shows Apple’s MacBook Air is severely constrained with many configurations listing 2–6+ week delays and some shipping in late August or September.
- The shortage stems from a global memory crunch caused by large, high‑speed purchases of HBM2 and advanced DRAM for AI servers that have reduced supply for consumer laptops.
- Apple has raised Mac prices this year, most recently increasing the MacBook Air base price in June from $1,099 to $1,299 in the U.S. to cover rising RAM and SSD costs.
- To manage limited components Apple is steering buyers toward the higher‑margin 14‑inch M5 MacBook Pro, prioritizing its production, and is preparing to source memory from Chinese suppliers for China‑sold units.
- Analysts expect the bottleneck to last into 2027–2028, retailers like Amazon currently offer limited in‑stock deals, and Apple’s sourcing choices have prompted a bipartisan inquiry from U.S. senators over blacklisted suppliers.