RJ Kesari News Desk: The revised pricing affects popular devices, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, iPad Pro, and iPad mini. According to the latest pricing on Apple's official website, the increase is linked to rising semiconductor and memory chip costs, which have impacted the global consumer electronics industry.

MacBook and iPad Prices See Massive Increase

Apple has revised the prices of multiple devices across its laptop and tablet lineup.

One of the biggest changes is for the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro chip, whose price has increased from ₹2,49,900 to ₹2,99,900, representing a hike of around 20%.

The 13-inch iPad Air has witnessed an even steeper increase. Its base model now costs ₹1,19,900, compared to the earlier price of ₹84,900, reflecting a jump of more than 41%.

Several other MacBook and iPad models have also received similar price revisions in global markets, including India.

Why Has Apple Increased Prices?

Industry experts say the primary reason behind the price hike is the sharp rise in the cost of memory chips, storage components, and advanced processors.

According to Neil Shah, Co-founder and Vice President of Research at Counterpoint Research, the consumer electronics industry is facing major changes in production costs due to growing demand for semiconductor components.

Apple has also acknowledged that the rapid expansion of AI data centers has significantly increased demand for memory and storage chips, making these components far more expensive than before.

The company stated that it had absorbed higher manufacturing costs for several months but has now reached a point where price revisions have become unavoidable.

AI Boom Is Driving Chip Prices Higher

The growing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has dramatically increased global demand for high-performance chips.

Large technology companies are investing heavily in AI infrastructure, creating unprecedented demand for:

• DRAM memory
• NAND storage chips
• High-performance processors

As manufacturers prioritize supplying chips for AI data centers, fewer components are available for smartphones, laptops, and tablets. This supply imbalance has pushed production costs higher across the consumer electronics industry.

Memory Chip Makers Are Reporting Record Profits

The semiconductor boom has also boosted the earnings of chip manufacturers.

Leading memory chip company Micron recently reported gross margins of 86%, compared to just 15% a year earlier.

According to Prabhu Ram, Vice President of CyberMedia Research's Industry Research Group, Apple's decision to pass higher component costs on to customers shows that even one of the world's strongest supply chains can no longer absorb the ongoing increase in manufacturing expenses.

Apple Delayed the Price Hike for Months

Experts believe Apple intentionally postponed raising prices despite rising component costs.

Neil Shah noted that Apple protected customers from inflation for at least two consecutive quarters, absorbing much of the increased production expense internally.

However, with semiconductor prices continuing to rise, the company has now adjusted product pricing to maintain profitability.

How Could This Affect Buyers?

The higher prices may slow demand among budget-conscious customers, particularly those planning to purchase entry-level MacBooks or iPads.

However, analysts also believe many existing Apple users who are ready to upgrade may choose higher-end configurations instead of delaying their purchase.

As a result, the premium segment could become even stronger, with buyers opting for more powerful models to maximize the value of their investment.

Will Prices Continue to Rise?

Industry experts don't expect supply conditions to improve anytime soon.

The continued expansion of AI infrastructure is likely to keep demand for semiconductor components high, and analysts believe memory shortages could persist for the next two years.

Apple is also preparing to roll out more on-device Apple Intelligence features across its ecosystem, requiring devices with greater memory and computing power. This could further increase demand for advanced chips and keep pricing under pressure.