Apple bumps up the prices of its new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro as global memory shortage continues

"The MacBook Air starts at $1,099 for the 13-inch and $1,299 for the 15-inch version - a $100 price increase for each model. The M5 Pro MacBook Pro starts at $2,199 for the 14-inch option, up from $1,999. The 16-inch will go from $2,499 to $2,699. For the M5 Max MacBook Pro, the starting price is $3,599, up from $3,199."

"While Apple didn't specify a reason for the price hikes, they arrive as the consumer electronics industry grapples with a global memory shortage as the artificial intelligence race shakes up the supply chain and market for memory chips, which are used in computers and other devices."

"In its January earnings call, Apple said it expected the price of memory to continue to increase. However, CEO Tim Cook declined to speculate on whether or not it would lead to increased prices for Apple's products."

Apple announced new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models with M5 chips featuring faster performance and increased storage capacity. The MacBook Air prices rose $100 per model, starting at $1,099 for 13-inch and $1,299 for 15-inch versions. MacBook Pro models saw larger increases: M5 Pro 14-inch jumped from $1,999 to $2,199, 16-inch from $2,499 to $2,699, and M5 Max starting at $3,599 from $3,199. Apple did not explicitly state reasons for price increases, though the company previously cited global memory shortage impacts and anticipated continued memory price increases. Notably, the iPhone 17e and iPad Air maintained their $599 starting prices despite industry-wide memory component cost inflation driven by artificial intelligence demand.

Read at Business Insider