Apple Responds to Skyrocketing RAM and Storage Chip Prices

[MacRumors]

On an earnings call with equity analysts today, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to fast-rising RAM and SSD storage chip prices in the supply chain.

Prices for RAM and NAND storage chips are surging lately due to high demand from companies building out AI servers, resulting in supply constraints.

Cook said that rising memory chip prices had a "minimal impact" on Apple's gross margin in the fourth quarter of the 2025 calendar year, but he does expect a "bit more of an impact" on the company's gross margin in the current quarter.

Cook added that Apple is aware of the rising prices and "will look at a range of options to deal with that" over the long term, if necessary.

Apple reported record-breaking revenue of $143.8 billion last quarter, up 16% year-over-year, and it is predicting similar 13% to 16% year-over-year growth and gross margin of 48% to 49% in the current quarter, so the company is still reporting impressive earnings results despite concerns surrounding memory chip prices.

Article Link: Apple Responds to Skyrocketing RAM and Storage Chip Prices

 

[thadoggfather]

I feel like while this sticker shock comes as a surprise to consumers, it’s less likely to be for people at the helm of supply chain and one of the top tech companies in the world

All of a sudden the Apple ram and storage upgrade prices are a deal/steal in upside down 2026 clown world

Embrace the AI!

 

[neuropsychguy]

Apple will certainly negotiate well for better prices but I think this is where Apple's margins will help. It's likely Apple will eat most or all of the cost increases unless it's looking like it will be a problem for years. They will, however, possibly raise the upgrade prices.

RAM (and SSD) prices are crazy currently.

 

[Delivered]

Minimum impact because the prices spikes happened after Apple had bought the ram for devices sold last quarter.

 

[Colpeas]

Apple’s upgrades have always been so expensive that in the current DRAM market situation they just seem “normal”.

The only brand that doesn’t have to raise prices to keep making profit.

 

[Delivered]

Apple’s upgrades have always been so expensive that in the current DRAM market situation they just seem “normal”.

The only brand that doesn’t have to raise prices to keep making profit.

You think Apple is going to eat the cost and cut their margins? When most people buying apple products are in higher income brackets? I think they may do that for entry level products and maybe the iPhone. I don’t think the will do that for ram upgrades. The prices of ram are actually now higher than what Apple charges. With AI as an excuse the 3 companies that make RAM will only further increase their prices and hope to make the diff in consumer sales by selling more to enterprise and AI data centers.

 

[GuruZac]

Apple doesn’t owe us to eat the increased RAM and storage costs as they’re clearly not a charity. But the right thing to do (for my pocket) and a good look would be to eat those rising costs, especially with their strong earnings call.

 

[vegetassj4]

“Cook added that Apple is aware of the rising prices and "will look at a range of options to deal with that" over the long term, if necessary.”

The new iPhone Pro now has PRO ram, for the fastest and best iPhone we’ve ever created. And we’re only raising the prices slightly, representing an extreme value and magical experience for the MOST PRO iPhone ever. The new iPhone that is light years ahead of the competition. We think you’ll love it.

 

[sw1tcher]

Cook added that Apple is aware of the rising prices and "will look at a range of options to deal with that" over the long term, if necessary.

A range of options = removing braided USB-C cable and removing / digitizing the printed inserts

 

[jimmy_john]

Guarantee they'll just go back to providing 4GB memory as base, to protect the margins.

 

[Macaholic868]

Aka, across the board price increasing coming in 2026. Big daddy needs his money.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Tim reassuring the markets that Apple's RAM and Storage pricing was extortionate before it was fashionable.

😎

 

[darkblu]

Guarantee they'll just go back to providing 4GB memory as base, to protect the margins.

I'm all for that if that would make them start writing decent software again.

 

[grammatica]

There's an obvious answer: eat the cost. Use those billions in cash reserves.

 

[sdfox7]

Good opportunity for Apple and developers to start looking at efficiency and removing software bloat and code bloat.

I remember when 4GB RAM on a Late 2006 MacBook with Snow Leopard 10.6 was overkill.

 

[1d1otic]

It's gonna be a lot more expensive as the memory crisis won't be solved by 2028 or beyond while the price will never go down once they reach higher fees. For Apple, it's gonna be A LOT more expensive than before which is quite concerning.

 

[NewOldStock]

Sad part consumer Ram and SSD chips dont go into Ai servers as they are specialized mostly.
------===>>>

 

[TheMacPotato]

Apple are so far ahead of the curve. They already increased their RAM prices to match the current high prices years ago.

 

[MikeSmoke]

Time for apple to have it's own chip foundry and control ram/cpu/gpu/modem manufacturing in house?

 

[poematik13]

Fully expecting an across the board price hike for all high end macs this year. Theyve already skimped enough on packaging (the boxes are super light and flimsy now and printed with cheap, low contrast ink) and the aluminum is thinner than ever; a macbook’s bottom shell bends when you press into it.

 

[reyesmac]

Remember when there was a chip crisis with cars? Did cars get cheaper since then? The big boys want to push you to use cheap dumb terminals connected to major data centers they are building. Fully loaded computers of the future are going to be for pro's only, the rest could get these cheap boxes they'll pay endless subscriptions to use and essentially rent out much more powerful systems to do their number crunching with absolutely zero privacy and make sure you behave so you don't get locked out.

 

[Radeon85]

Translation, we charged obscene prices for many years for extra RAM and storage, so we can take a hit for a while. So when we offer future products at the same price, we look like the good guys, making you think you are actually getting a good deal.

 

[krell100]

So reading between the lines higher prices incoming.

Another reason to hate AI.

 

[Astrohunter]

So reading between the lines higher prices incoming.

Another reason to hate AI.

At least AI will replace us.

And RAM from Apple will cost more than gold, to the moon. 🚀

 

[hanyoil]

With laptop prices from Samsung, LG, and other companies skyrocketing, Apple, which already makes a profit on RAM and SSD prices, will likely see a turnaround in Mac sales if the M4 chip is priced the same in the M5 Pro and M5 Max.