Apple tackles memory‑chip shortage, hikes MacBook/iPad prices as stock tumbles

Apple Inc. is confronting a sharp rise in global DRAM and NAND flash prices driven by soaring AI demand. To secure a supply of advanced memory chips, the company has reportedly lobbied the U.S. Commerce Department for permission to work with China’s ChangXin Memory Technologies, a firm on the U.S. defense watch list. The move aims to avoid tighter restrictions and ensure a steady flow of components for its products.

At the same time, Apple announced price increases for its MacBook and iPad lines worldwide, lifting flagship models by up to $300. The pricing shift triggered a sell‑off in the market, with Apple shares falling more than 5% and wiping roughly $275 billion from its market value in a single session. CEO Tim Cook described the surge in memory‑chip costs as a “hundred‑year flood,” noting that the pressure from AI‑driven data‑center demand has left the consumer‑device supply chain strained.

The combined supply‑chain challenge and pricing response illustrate the broader impact of AI‑fuelled component shortages across the technology sector.