Global memory chip shortage: Apple hikes Mac, iPad prices in India by 15-20%

26 Jun 2026, 05:02 by KalingaTV Bureau · KalingaTV

New Delhi: Tech giant Apple has implemented a sweeping 15 to 20 percent price hike across its Mac and iPad line ups in India, following a severe global shortage of essential memory and storage components. The Cupertino-based company officially updated its digital storefront after warning investors and consumers that it could no longer absorb the exploding manufacturing expenses on its own.

The underlying catalyst for this sudden price jump is an insatiable demand from the artificial intelligence sector rather than a traditional semiconductor supply glitch. Tech giants are aggressively expanding massive data centres to power AI models, buying up immense volumes of unified memory, DRAM and NAND flash storage.

Consequently, component suppliers are prioritizing these high-margin AI contracts, causing consumer memory chip prices to quadruple since late last year and driving margins for manufacturers like Micron to a historic 86 percent. In the Indian market, this hardware crunch translates to a noticeably higher barrier to entry for Apple’s computing ecosystem, though its most lucrative cash cow has escaped unscathed. The newly launched budget-friendly MacBook Neo rose to ₹79,900, while the base MacBook Air shifted to ₹1.49 lakh, and the flagship MacBook Pro jumped to a starting point of ₹2.39 lakh. The tablet family saw even sharper spikes, with the base iPad climbing to ₹47,900 and the top-tier 13-inch iPad Pro jumping to ₹1.99 lakh.

Apple chose to leave its iPhone pricing completely untouched for the time being, strategically protecting its primary global revenue engine. Industry analysts emphasize that this pricing correction serves as a clear indication of how heavily the AI tax is beginning to impact general consumer electronics. Industry experts note that while Apple’s premium consumer base is historically resilient to price changes, the timing is challenging as the company prepares to roll out its hardware-heavy ‘Apple Intelligence’ platform later this year. Supply chain experts also say Apple’s move is an early warning for the rest of the market, and expect rival PC and tablet makers such as Dell, HP and Lenovo to soon follow with their own retail price adjustments.

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