Overview
- Apple is reporting major shortages of the M5 MacBook Air with many configurations showing delivery estimates of two to six weeks and some shipping in late August or September.
- The shortage stems from an industrywide memory crunch driven by high‑end HBM2 and DRAM purchases for AI datacenters that have reduced availability of consumer DDR/LPDDR and NAND.
- In response, Apple raised prices across Macs and iPads in June, delayed its back‑to‑school promotion, and is prioritizing production and sales of the entry‑level 14‑inch M5 MacBook Pro to clear inventory for an expected M6 refresh.
- Apple has explored sourcing memory from Chinese suppliers for devices sold in China and reportedly sought permission to buy from blacklisted Chinese vendors, a move that has prompted bipartisan U.S. congressional scrutiny.
- Third‑party retailers and Apple’s refurbished store offer temporary alternatives but analysts warn the memory squeeze and longer lead times could persist through 2027 and into 2028, affecting future product timing and consumer purchases.