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AI is hurting Apple in more ways than one: it may force iPhone price increases

TechCrunch · Jun 17, 2026, 11:28 PM · Also reported by 4 other sources

Key takeaways

  • It s been called RAMageddon: AI s insatiable demand for hardware has caused a worldwide shortage of memory chips.
  • In a recent interview, Cook told the WSJ that price increases are unavoidable, in spite of efforts to absorb chip costs that have increased fourfold since last year.
  • Cook didn t name which products will be affected or when prices will rise, but he s raised the alarm about the impacts of RAMageddon before.

It s been called RAMageddon: AI s insatiable demand for hardware has caused a worldwide shortage of memory chips. Now outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook is warning its customers that your next Mac, i Phone, or i Pad could be more expensive thanks to surging memory and storage chips costs.

In a recent interview, Cook told the WSJ that price increases are unavoidable, in spite of efforts to absorb chip costs that have increased fourfold since last year. He described the situation as unsustainable.

Cook didn t name which products will be affected or when prices will rise, but he s raised the alarm about the impacts of RAMageddon before. In April, after delivering record quarterly sales, he said that these higher costs could impact Apple s next business results. Incoming CEO John Ternus also warned about the issue that same month.

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