CUPERTINO, California — Apple said it plans to increase prices for some of its products, including future iPhone models, as rising costs and tightening supplies of memory and storage chips continue to pressure the company’s supply chain, Chief Executive Tim Cook said in remarks published this week.
The announcement comes as technology companies face growing competition for semiconductor components used in consumer electronics. Industry suppliers have increasingly directed production toward artificial intelligence infrastructure, where demand for advanced memory chips has surged, contributing to higher costs across the sector.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal published on Wednesday, Cook said Apple had attempted to absorb rising component costs but could no longer do so indefinitely. “Unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable,” Cook said, adding that the company had worked to shield customers from higher costs but that “the situation has become unsustainable.”
Cook did not specify which products would be affected, when the increases would take effect, or the scale of the planned adjustments. Apple also did not provide details on future iPhone pricing. Company representatives did not immediately release additional information following the publication of the interview.
The company has warned investors in recent months about escalating memory-related expenses. During an earnings discussion in April, Cook said Apple expected “significantly higher memory costs” in subsequent quarters as inventories accumulated during earlier periods were depleted.
According to Apple and industry analysts, the cost increases stem largely from shortages affecting DRAM and NAND memory chips, key components used in smartphones, tablets and personal computers. Suppliers have prioritized production for AI-focused data centers, reducing availability for consumer electronics manufacturers.
Research firms cited in media reports said memory and storage costs have risen sharply over the past year. Some analysts projected that maintaining existing profit margins could require higher prices for premium smartphones, though Apple has not confirmed any specific pricing plans.
Several technology companies, including makers of computers, gaming devices and smartphones, have also reported cost pressures linked to semiconductor shortages and AI-related demand, according to industry reports.
Apple is expected to unveil its next generation of iPhones later this year. As of Friday, the company had not announced revised pricing for upcoming devices, and details regarding the timing and scope of any increases remained unclear.
