Apple's MacBook Air M5 Faces Severe Supply Shortage Amid Global RAM Crunch
Apple is experiencing limited availability for certain configurations of its MacBook Air M5, with delivery dates varying by model and some units not expected until September. The shortage stems from a worldwide memory (DRAM/HBM2) crunch driven by AI data‑center demand, which has also forced Apple to raise prices on many Macs by $100‑$400. To mitigate the issue, Apple is sourcing memory from Chinese suppliers for devices sold locally and has delayed its back‑to‑school promotion. The company is also prioritising sales of the entry‑level 14‑inch M5 MacBook Pro to free up capacity for the upcoming M6 refresh later this year, while the next‑generation MacBook Air (M6) is pushed to next year. Apple has warned that the memory shortage could affect supply and pricing through 2028.
Entities: Apple Inc. · Bloomberg · Chinese memory suppliers · MacBook Air · MacBook Air (M5) · MacBook Pro · MacBook Pro (14‑inch M5) · Mark Gurman
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Apple is seeking RAM from Chinese suppliers for devices intended for China. (Apple supply chain sources)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Certain configurations of the MacBook Air M5 have variable delivery times. (Mark Gurman (Bloomberg))
- [● 2 SOURCES] Apple is directing customers toward entry‑level MacBook Pro models instead of the MacBook Air. (Apple marketing materials)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Apple delayed its Back‑to‑School promotion due to insufficient MacBook Air stock. (Apple (internal))
- [● 2 SOURCES] The delays are caused by a global shortage of DRAM memory. (Mark Gurman (Bloomberg))
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Some MacBook Air configurations may not ship until late August or early September. (Mark Gurman (Bloomberg))
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Apple has not publicly explained the cause of the stock constraints. (Apple (no comment))
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Apple plans to launch a 14‑inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip later this year. (Apple product roadmap)